Running
by brattax23
Summary: AU fic. Jean and Remy are accepted to the elite Xavier Institute. What they find there could spell trouble for the two teens. THE EPILOGUE! What really happened when the walls fell down? What's going on with the characters? Read and REVIEW, please!
1. Welcome to the Institute

Title: Running

Author: Monica

Rating: R

Summary: An AU fic with mostly Evolution and movie components, but it doesn't really fit in either of 

  those 'cause there are no mutants. Remy and Jean are accepted to the elite school, The 

  Xavier Institute. What they find there is not what they expect.

Cast: Jean and Remy (brother and sister), Kitty, Marie, Logan, Scott, Ororo, Xavier, Hank, Erik (Magneto)

Plus guest shots of others.

Warning: swearing, child abuse scenes

A/N: This is going to be a decently long story, and this chapter is just to set things up. Although I pretty 

much have who and what's going to happen down, I am open to suggestions as I'm rewriting this whole thing. Please review. Pretty please. With a cherry on top!

                "You know that neither you nor your sister will make it very much longer. Quite frankly, I'm sure you could survive just fine on your own, but having her to watch over, well it makes you do things that are…unwise." This was simply stated, with no malice behind the words. The stately man was seated behind an expensive mahogany desk. Eyes that missed nothing were locked on the two teens before him.

                Remy gritted his teeth, trying to fight the bubbling anger. He was angry at being there, angry at his helplessness, angry at how right this man was. He glanced down at Jean, who was asleep in his lap. Her fiery hair was wild, hiding her face. She was sixteen as well, but could easily pass as thirteen as she was so small. Even in sleep, she had a tight grip on his hand.

                "We've been through this before, homme. I don' want what you're offering. We've had people try to 'help' us before," Remy sneered, as his free hand went unconsciously to his side where a blade had pierced when its owner tried to 'help' them. Auburn hair was long, almost to his shoulders. Strands fell into his face, giving an appearance that was calculated to seem the typical teenage boy. Circumstances had made him thin; his cheeks caved in, his ribs were apparent and he was only sixteen. His eyes told a different story. They were full of knowledge. They were stone cold.

                Xavier couldn't bring himself to be offended. He was well aware of the facts of life for a street kid. It wasn't so long ago when he'd been there himself.

                "I have no plans to force you to stay . . ."

                "You couldn' if y' wanted to."

                "…but I think you should consider it. If at any time you think you'd be better off on the streets, then leave…"

                "I don' need permission."

                "…of course, the next time I'd see you or your pretty sister again is when the wheel you to the morgue." Xavier's steely blue eyes held Remy's brown ones. "How about Jean? How much longer can she survive without you watching her every second? What if you turn away for a second?"

                Remy cursed beneath his breath. Damn. He gazed at Jeannie, the picture of innocence. His long trench coat wrapped around her. Her legs were pulled up to her chest as if she were trying to make herself into a ball. Remy recognized the practice from being cold too many nights.

                "We'll see, homme."

                Remy glanced around the temporary room he had been given. The large bed took up nearly half the room, covered in soft satin. The whole place reeked of affluence. A huge window looked out onto the lake. Remy had meticulously placed his meager belongings about the room, and was leaning precariously out the third story window.

                "Hey Jeannie," he said, without turning around. 

                "Why do you always do that? Can't you at least pretend to be surprised?" Jean pouted. Her bright green eyes shone from her pale skin, unmarred by a single freckle.

                "Never try to sneak up on a sneak. Glad to hear you talking again," Remy said, finally turning towards her. Her smiled tenderly at her. She was wearing Xavier Institute shorts and tee shirt. She looked like a little kid. The clothing hung on her thin frame that knew hunger for too long. He frowned. "Get out of the doorway, you don't know who could be lurking around."

                Jean obliged him, bouncing on the bed while pulling the covers around her. Her head was covered completely be the comforter when she stopped wiggling around. Only a tuft or two of red hair peeked out.

                "How're you feelin'?"

                She rolled her eyes at him. "You always ask me that. You could be starving, beaten black and blue, cold and wet, and you'd ask me that! You should look after yourself more. You're too skinny, you know that?"

                "I think I liked it better when you weren't talking," he growled. 

                Jean stuck her tongue out at him. "Your English is slipping in and out again. Have you seen the other kids around?" 

                "No, but I've heard them around. Noisy bunch. Seriously, though, Jean, how are you? Any dreams?" Remy bounced on the bed beside her and fished her out of the blankets. Jean snuggled against his chest and sighed contentedly.

                "Seriously, Rem, I'm okay. No dreams yet." She stared out the window. _Not yet._

                Remy and Jean lay side by side, unspeaking for a long while. Jean was remembering her latest dream. It was not promising. All her dreams were warnings of a sort that always came true and always brought pain. Her last dream had brought them here.

                Another hour later, Jean and Remy found themselves back in Xavier's office. Opposite them were the Institute's instructors.

                "Remy, Jean, these will be your teachers once you begin your studies."

                "IF we begin anything," Remy cut in, arms folded across his chest. Jean pulled her legs up to her chest and was doing a good job of imitating Remy's scowl.

                "Of course," Xavier said quickly.  "This is Logan. He's our history and physical education instructor. Everyone takes a self-defense class at the Institute, so you will at least have one course with Logan."

                Logan was a short, bulky guy. Muscles clumped over his body and his stare gave the impression of going to your very soul. He barely glanced at the kids, but both had the sensation of being judged and determined not worthy. Jean looked at him and figured it would be hard to get anything past him. Remy figured that he'd be hard to take down if it was ever necessary.

                "This is Ororo. She teaches English, earth science, and dance. She also runs our Environmental Awareness Club."

                Remy thought that she looked like no teacher he'd ever seen before. He wasn't able to get much further than that due to drooling teenage boy syndrome. Long white hair flowed down her back and swayed gently. Her blue eyes were a sharp contrast to the soft mocha skin. Jean decided to be cautious around her. She knew beautiful women were far more dangerous than men.

                "Allow me to introduce Hank. He teaches the rest of our science classes from biology to chemistry to physics. Hank has published several works in the Medical Journal, and has won several service awards for his medical care to the homeless. Hank is our live-in physician as well."

                Hank looked like an ex-football player. He towered above the rest of the staff. He had a warm smile that helped ease the knot in Jean's stomach. He was the only one smiling in the whole room. Both Remy and Jean thought the same thing. _Never underestimate…_

                "And this is Scott. He teaches all the math courses and auto shop. He was the first student here at the Institute."

                Scott was an All-American looking boy. His brown hair was carefully combed back. He was lean and lithe, but his shirt clung to him that showed off a well-built body. He had rose-colored glasses on, which was the only strange thing about him. Jean stared in awe until Remy elbowed her in the side. She glared at him. 

                Xavier went on talk about the perks of the Institute and Remy found his attention slipping. He had carefully inspected the building, and if he was figuring correctly, there should be a whole lower level. There was no mention of that floor in the brochure that seemed to cover the type of food that was served to the types of flowers in the garden. He meant to find out all he could about this place whether the faculty liked it or not.

                Jean wasn't paying attention either. She was taking in her immediate surroundings. Priceless works of art were hanging on the walls and an oriental rug was under the desk. Jean very quickly priced the items and discovered that she and Remy had lived last year on less than the price of one of the Picasso paintings. She studied the professors once more. She found Logan staring back at her and quickly passed over him. He was dangerous. They would have to be extra careful when he was around. Hank was also a worry. He seemed like the type of guy who loved a mystery. She would stay far away from him if at all possible. Ororo didn't interest her. She finally got to the one she wanted to look at. Schooling her expression to be blank, Jean looked her fill at Scott Summers. He looked nice, but there was a cord of steel in him. Jean wanted to just look a little longer…

                "Let's go," Remy said, raising his eyebrows at her. Jean faintly blushed for getting caught again and followed him out. As they walked through the hall of marble and silk, Jean suddenly felt like a spot of dirt among the immaculacy. Remy was walking through the hall as if he owned it.

                "Nothing's too good for you, Jeannie. Just enjoy this while it lasts."

                "I really hate it when you do that," Jean said, wrinkling her nose at her back. He looked over his shoulder at her and grinned.

                "What did I do?"

                "When you know what I'm thinking. It's unnerving. Stop it right now."

                "Stop being easy to read. How long have I been trying to train you to be blank?"

                "I am to everybody that isn't you," Jean protested, knowing he was trying to irritate her and getting even more irritated that he was getting his way.

                They stopped at her door. 

                "Go along with them for right now, but keep your eyes and ears open," Remy said softly before continuing down the hall.

                Always be aware. Their motto. The only thing that had kept them alive for so long. Jean sighed. She could no more forget that than she could forge to breathe.

                A soft knock roused Jean from her nap. Although the temperature was a perfect seventy degrees, she was buried under the thick crimson comforter.

"Yes?" she mumbled, stumbling over to the door. That was one thing that Remy despaired on. She was never able to wake up easily.

"It's Ororo. I'm here to take you to the dorms." Jean slowly opened the door, hastily trying to straighten out her hair. The older woman smiled warmly, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Jean picked up her duffle bag and silently followed Ororo into the hall.

Jean counted doors as she went. She had a good sense of direction that came in handy in the past. She wasn't paying any more attention to Ororo than Ororo was paying to her. She was engrossed in the hall decorations when Ororo stopped.

"Here we are." Ororo knocked lightly before entering.

"Yeah!" came from the inside. Ororo opened the door and lightly pushed Jean out in front of her. The room was painted a pale blue. There were three beds arranged in three distinct living areas. One was covered in pale pink was lots of stuffed animals on it. The white vanity was covered in pictures and notes, but a sleek silver laptop was the only thing on the surface. This was where the girl was sitting.

"Kitty, this is our new student, Jean Grey. She will be rooming with you. Please show her around, take her to lunch, and make sure she's in Xavier's office by forth period. Thanks."

Jean looked studied the young teen. She had long brown hair that was swept on top of her head in a ponytail. Friendly brown eyes looked out from a fresh, young face. As soon as Ororo had entered, she slammed the top of the computer down. She looked up mischievously at Jean.

                "Hi! I'm Kitty Pryde and I'm a junior here, but I've been at Xavier's since I was eleven. What is your talent? Me, I'm a computer whiz. All the kids here have something that makes them special. Marie, that's our other roommate, is a great fighter. She could be a bodyguard or something, and no one would even suspect that she's dangerous."

                This barrage of words threw Jean off balance for a second.

                "I'm not accepted yet. I have to take an entrance exam."

                "You'll get in, especially if they are already giving you a room. They almost never make a mistake on who to accept. Although I think there are a few kids who should never have been allowed to stay," Kitty sniffed. "That bed over there is yours. There is an order list of bedding and towels and stuff you can order on the desk. Hopefully you have taste more like mine than Marie's."

                The other bed was covered in black with gray pillows. There was no mess anywhere, and the furniture was all dark. On the walls were simple ink drawings that matched the surroundings in starkness.

                Kitty continued to talk about everything from the pool to the students and teachers to the type of movies they rented on the weekends. Jean listened carefully and fixed a look of interest on her face. Her bed was by the window. She got to decorate. It was too much to hope for.

                "What were you doing when Ororo came in?"

                Kitty had taken a pause to breathe. "I was snooping in Scott's computer. He doesn't have very much on there, but he does keep a journal. Unfortunately, he's the most boring person I know. He also talks in code on his own computer. Honestly! Come here, and take a look."

                The girls peered over the computer and laughed at the daily musings of Scott Summers, math teacher extraordinaire.

                "Remy, you'll be rooming with Bobby and Peter. They're both in class right now, but go ahead and get settled in. I'll send a student around to bring you to the dining hall in a little bit. You are expected in Xavier's office immediately after lunch. Is there anything else you need?" Scott hated dealing with the new students. They always made him feel self-conscious.

                "I'm good. T'anks, homme." Remy said absently. He was looking around the room in disgust. Bobby and Peter were obviously two of the biggest slobs he had ever seen. Both beds were covered in navy and the walls were plastered with garish posters. Their clothing was spread over the thick carpet. Scott quickly left, leaving Remy alone in the huge room. He shoved everything that was creeping over to his living area over and quickly unpacked his meager belongings. When everything was just so, he opened the window and closed his eyes against the soft breeze. He just stood there, enjoying the peace for at least ten minutes before…

                "Can I help you?" he asked, reluctantly turning away from the sun. He moved languidly, like a cat after a full meal. Sunglasses adorned his nose to protect his sensitive eyes from the harsh sun.

                The girl in the doorway looked surprised. She had bright green eyes that were more vibrant than Jean's and thick chestnut brown hair that cascaded in waves down her back. White streaks framed a face that had a handful of freckles scattered across her nose. She was stunning.

                "Remy? I'm Marie. Scott asked me to show you the dining hall for lunch." She was looking him over none too discreet. He found himself standing straighter under her scrutiny. Dressed all in black, he showed a very lean, trim, artsy look. She stared back, unabashed.

                "Oh, ok." His silver plated tongue had turned to lead. He saw her full lips turn upward in appreciation and her long fingers motion him to follow her. He watched her hips sway as she moved as he followed like a puppy on a leash.

                "If you'll just follow me."

                "Anywhere, chere, anywhere."


	2. Digging In

A/N: Wow! I have more reviews on the first chapter than on my entire first story. Yeah! Finals are coming up for me, so there probably won't be another update until after the second week of June. Still not too much action, but pretty interesting (I hope). A small flashback and a longer one.  I need suggestions for somebody on the outside that can help out R/J for the next chap. Please review. Pretty please. With a cherry on top!

                Jean piled her tray full of the gourmet-looking (and smelling) food and followed Kitty to the noisy table. An Asian girl was gesturing wildly with her hands to a blonde boy, who was yelling back playfully. Another boy with thick black hair and blue eyes was carefully piling his mashed potatoes up in a model of the leaning tower of Pisa.

                The room was paneled in wood and surrounded by huge windows that were spotless. Old wooden tables were spread out all over the room, allowing about ten students to each. Rich tapestries gave the room a medieval feel. There was a green spot on the ceiling that belied the room's true purpose, though. And video cameras that swept the room and let everyone know how high tech the building really was.

                "Guys! This is Jean. She's my new roommate. Jean this is Jubilee, Bobby and Peter. Marie should be around here somewhere." The group gave Jean a cursory glance before making room. Kitty immediately launched into a story about gym class, competing with Jubilee to be the loudest. Jean sat silently, trying not to laugh over the girl's antics. She nibbled on a roll while immediately searching out the exits. 

                Bobby was trying to ask Jean questions about herself, but could barely get a word in edgewise. His blue eyes were filled with mischief and he had a warm smile that made Jean feel at ease. Harmless was the first word that popped into her mind.

                "So where are you from?"

                "Boston," Jean said quickly, stuffing some roast beef into her mouth. Mmmmm. Yum.

                "Hey, guess what? Betsy said she saw an incredibly hot guy coming out of Xavier's office today." Jubilee shouted across the table. She had on an incredibly yellow jacket, even though it was close to eighty degrees outside. "It's about time this school got a decent looking guy."

                Bobby and Peter glared at her. 

                "Oh yeah, well…" Peter never had a chance. Both girls had already moved to the next topic.

                "Who's that with Marie?" Kitty asked, jaw hanging to the ground. Remy was sauntering across the room, enjoying the many speculative looks he got. His eyes brightened when he found Jean. Marie was trailing slightly behind him, a sullen look across her face. Jean was sure Remy had pissed her off and couldn't care less.

                Remy didn't glance back at his guide and plopped down next to Jean. Slight surprise registered when Marie followed him to the table, but Remy was ignoring her quite well.

                "What is all that about?" Jean whispered to him, indicating Marie.

                "Later," he said. Putting on a brilliant smile that made Jean roll her eyes, he turned to Kitty, who was still gaping. "Bonjour mademoiselle. I am Remy, Jeannie's brother."

                "Kitty." Jean stared at the motormouth. Where was the incessant chatting, giggling and gossiping? Kitty had a goofy grin on her face.

                "Hi, I'm Jubilee," the teen said, pushing Kitty aside. She grinned at Remy, getting one in return before Remy could check his reaction. "This is Peter and Bobby."

                Remy nodded to the boys, who were regarding him carefully, and grabbed an apple off Jean's tray. She gave him a withering look before calmly taking back her apple and shoving him in the direction of food. Kitty and Jubilee were at it again, and Jean delighted in their friendly bickering. It had been a long time since she felt so…normal.

-----Six years ago-----

                "Is Remy coming home, mama?" ten-year-old Jean asked, bouncing up and down on the couch. She loved it when her brother came to live with them. Jean Luc demanded Remy's time for half the year so that he could teach his son the family business. Jean didn't know what it was, but she knew she didn't like it when Remy went away. Especially since mama married Erik. Jean didn't like Erik. 

                "Yes, Jeannie. Now stop jumping on the furniture." Mama smiled despite the rebuke. She had soft red hair that curled around her shoulders. Jean loved to wrap her fingers around those curls. The sun hit the top of her head, and it looked like a fiery nimbus. It was her eyes that Jean didn't like. The gray was sad and lonely. 

                Jean couldn't sit still. She missed her brother who was her only source of companionship. The kids at school didn't like her much because she was so far ahead of them. The teachers didn't like her much because they mistook her shyness for arrogance. It was okay because she didn't like them much either. She kept running to the window to see if the cab was there yet, causing her mother to glance worryingly at the bedroom where Erik was passed out.

                "I'm here!" Remy announced, expecting his mother and sister to drop everything to greet him, which they promptly did. He dropped his duffle bag in the hall and stripped out of his jacket as he ran to the living room. His shaggy hair hung into his eyes, but he refused to have it cut. Jean threw her skinny arms around his neck and mama pulled them both into a hug. Even as he protested about being squeezed, he hugged them both back fiercely. Things were as they should be once again.

------------------------

                Bobby didn't like him. That wasn't quite correct. Bobby couldn't stand him. Bobby had never been very confident about himself, and those mocking glances and biting retorts made him feel unimportant. And angry. In less than a day he had all the girls hanging on his every badly pronounced word. He knew Remy could speak perfect English because he heard him talking to Jean in the hall, but that damned accent seemed to draw girls to him like bees to honey. Except for Marie. She didn't think he was so great. Bobby leaned back in his bed, and then let out a grunt. Shoving the books that were hidden under his pillow onto the ground, he wanted to close his eyes just for a minute before he had to leave again.

                The door slammed open and Remy stalked into the room. He had taken the longest test of his life and he wasn't happy about it. Locked in a tiny white room with nothing but a folding table and chair was enough to drive him crazy. Ignoring Bobby's yell, he went straight to the window and climbed out onto the roof.

                _Hope he breaks his pretty face._ Bobby thought sourly. He glanced over to the meticulously straightened desk and bed, and grimaced. There was only so much a guy could take. He slammed the window closed before running out of the room to make it to class. 

                Remy climbed to the top of the roof and took a deep breath. The dark clouds rolling overhead that foretold rain for the evening matched his mood perfectly. The air had a bite to it that made Remy wish he got his jacket back from Jean, but he simply leaned back and closed his eyes. He was tired. Life tired. He got out a cigarette and took a deep drag. Jean hated it when he smoked, and as far as she was concerned he had quit, but as the smoke filled his lungs he became calm. His hands stopped shaking as he thought about this school. Though there was something strange about this place, he was more concerned that it was clean, warm and safe. He knew Xavier would be surprised at Jean's test scores. In fact, he couldn't wait to see his expression when he saw them. 

                Remy hadn't had formal schooling since the sixth grade, the year his mother died. Jean managed to get through eighth grade at Remy's insistence, but she was a genius so he knew she wouldn't be that far behind. What if they told him to leave? Could he leave Jean? Remy lowered his head into his hands. He'd be damned if he dragged Jean away from this gift. He wouldn't watch her starve and freeze her life away. The rain began to fall, but Remy just sat there, the depressing thoughts tumbling about his head. A flash of lightening flashed and he sighed, brought back to reality. Cold, harsh reality. He climbed back down to find the window locked closed. A bad sign for sure.

                "Look at these scores! They're phenomenal. Jean Grey registers as a genius. Remy figured out college level calculus. With a fifth grade education! They are also well versed in literature, art and music," Hank said, poring over the printouts. He easily tuned out the other staff members as he immersed himself in the numbers. Xavier often despaired over his preference to zone out the real world for his own world.

                The staff was assembled in the lower level war room. This level's purpose was security and information. Nobody but the staff knew of its existence. They ran everything from these rooms.

                "Well, that was rather unexpected," Ororo said, absently flipping through the results. She wasn't interested about these two in the least. Logan squeezed her leg under the table and they were going to have some off time together as soon as they got out of there. Logan didn't really care either. He didn't like being surprised, but Ororo's foot rubbing up and down his leg made it difficult to think of the issue.

                "We spent a lot of time in the library. They don' ask too many questions when y' have a book in front of y'. It was a good way t' keep warm," Remy said, leaning against the door frame. He had a bored expression on his face and his ankles were crossed casually. "So what do y' have down here that y' have it all guarded. It took me a couple of hours t' get in."

                "Couple hours!" Scott choked out. He was stunned at seeing Remy there. He was even more surprised to hear how easily he got in. The other teachers stared at him, silent. Except Hank, who still hadn't looked up from the report. Remy enjoyed the attention, and waited a couple of seconds before answering.

                "Yeah. The wiring's a bitch t' get through. Maybe t'ree steps from bein' impossible. Nice place down here." The room looked like a control room for NASA. A huge screen covered one wall and computers were scattered around the room. The shiny mahogany table stretched across the entire room. At each seat was a computer screen and telephone. On the monitors were headshots of Jean and himself that were at least a year old. His eyes narrowed. "So did y' find out my Jeannie's a genius? Do y' think that test even touched how much she knows? I expected more from a school as expensive as this. I'll give y' two days t' fix the security on anything y' don' want me messing with." He left as silently as he had entered.

                The room remained still and quiet, all eyes watching the departing figure.

                "Well what the hell do we do about this?" Logan said, practically gnashing his teeth together. No more playing around. Ororo closed her eyes as she saw all her plans being flushed down the toilet. A moment later, she was composed and cool. "He probably already got into the system."

                Xavier had a curious grin on his face. "I am almost positive he has. He can't know what he was looking at. Plus, why would he risk the advantages he has here? He saw a challenge and overcame it. Exactly what we encourage from our students."

                "_We _can't risk that some fucking kid will unmake everything we have been working toward all these years. I say throw them back on the streets and cut our loses. Watch them for a couple of years, just in case." Ororo slightly nodded, the serene expression never slipping from her face. Hank never indicated he even heard a word, though his eyes skittered around furiously. Only Scott looked a bit uneasy, but he didn't say a word. All eyes turned to Xavier.

                "Now Logan, we've been watching them for years. You of all people should know how much we need them. Remy will easily fill our electronics gap, as he has proven. Now this girl proves to be more than dead weight. We just need to gain their trust. A couple of counseling sessions will do wonders, I am sure. Plus where are they going to go? Who are they going to tell?" Xavier steepled his fingers under his chin. "Scott, you have two days. If he gets into the system again, I will be very unhappy."

                Remy raced to the girls' dormitory. He ignored the scattered the greetings and gave an impatient knock before opening the door to Jean's room. She raised her eyebrows, trying to fight a grin. He scowled at her and quickly assumed his casual demeanor. He pulled a chair over to her and waited for her to speak.

                Jean decided to ignore his drop in composure. "Look what I found, Rem." She turned to gage his reaction.

                On the screen was a blueprint of the school. Jean turned layers on and off and the sewer, electrical, and the security plans were visible. Remy stared at the screen, trying to memorize as much as possible. He let out a low whistle, his only sign of approval.

                "I was there today," Remy said absently, pointing to a small section in the lower level. "I didn't know how big this place really is. How hard was it to get? Will they know you got it?"

                Jean grinned at him. Though Remy was great at anything electrical, it was Jean who worked the computer systems with ease. Their strengths worked well with each other. "It was pretty bad. They have more fucking safeties then the CIA. They shouldn't be able to detect it, though. I didn't go in too deeply."

                "Watch your language," Remy said, turning his attention to frowning at is sister.

                "Why didn't you take me? What are they hiding down there?" Jean asked, ignoring the criticism. _Hypocrite!_

                "I only had a few minutes down there. There are a bunch of small rooms and it would have taken too long to check them all. They do have a huge file room with info on all the kids. They were keeping tabs on us for years. I thought Xavier wanted you, but now I'm not so sure." He was troubled. He had to seriously consider staying here among these people who wanted to use them in some way or leaving and facing…who knows what. Was the known evil the lesser of the two?

                "Do we have to leave?" Jean tried to keep the despair out of her voice. She hated moving around so much, but she would follow Remy anywhere.

                "I don't know yet. We need to get in there and figure out exactly what they want. They are beefing up security as we speak. We need to get you a laptop and I need my tools. You're going to have to cover for me this weekend. I should only be gone for a few hours."

                "How are you going to get a laptop?" Jean raised her hand as Remy opened his mouth to answer. "Never mind. I don't want to know. Be careful."

                "Always." The door clicked open and Marie walked in. She smiled at Jean and tried to ignore Remy. She did glance his way to see if he noticed her ignoring him. He easily caught her glance at grinned lazily at her. She angrily grabbed a book and stalked out.

                "What did you do to her? Not that I care that she doesn't like you, but I have to live with her," Jean said. She shut down the computer and moved back over to her area, lying across the bed.

                "Nothin'. She likes me, jus' not ready t' admit it yet." He shrugged, but Jean could tell that Marie had flustered him.

                "You're so egotistical. She probably just doesn't like you. It is possible, despite how irresistible you think you are." Not bloody likely. Jean would watch Marie carefully. Her brother didn't know what was good for him when it came to girls.

                "It's a curse, this undeniable charm." His tone was flat and he left suddenly. Jean frowned. Belle. It always came back to Belle.

----------2 yrs. ago-----------

                Jean stared at the little blonde urchin that followed her brother into the alley that was doubling as their home. She looked every bit as raggedy as Remy and herself, but the girl held herself like a queen. Jean turned to glare at her brother, who had the grace to blush.

                "Hey Jeannie. This is Belle. She's goin' t' take us t' Brooklyn." They needed to get out of Manhattan for a while. Somebody was watching them. Remy tossed Jean a sandwich from his pocket, and began gathering their things.

                Belle stared back at Jean. There was only mild curiosity in her look. Belle was a pretty girl with dirty blonde hair to her shoulders and wide blue eyes. She had skinny arms and scarred knees. Jean decided not to like her. Remy smiled at the girl and Jean narrowed her eyes. She wasn't going to like Belle at all.

                "Let's go." Remy said, throwing Jean her sweatshirt. She put it on while stuffing the sandwich down her throat and quickly ran to catch up as Remy and Belle walked off.

                Jean had tons of questions, but she held them patiently as the navigated through the city streets and the underground. Nobody spoke until they reached a small restaurant on the fringes of Brooklyn.

                "Stay here while I tell Julian that I'm back. Don't talk to anyone and stay here!" Belle said, glancing around the smoky room. She sounded a bit agitated as she headed to the back.

                "What the hell are you doing?! Why are we here following some girl that came out of nowhere? Are you crazy?" Jean rounded on Remy, eyes shooting sparks. Remy shrugged meekly.

                "She told me her family was in the business. Our business. We needed to get out for a bit anyway. If it doesn't work, we'll move on like always," he said, his voice pitched to be soothing. It usually always got him his way. He forgot Jean was immune to his numerous charms.

                "Why is it that all a pretty girl has to do is smile and wave, and suddenly you lose whatever sense you ever had? Don't you think that this could be serious trouble?" Jean glared at him, but she lowered her voice to a furious whisper. Remy didn't say anything, but he shot her a look to kill. Jean didn't relent.

                "Okay, I like her. She's cute. It'll be okay."

                "Papa said it was okay for you guys to come in," Belle said cheerfully. There was something in her tome that made Jean weary. Glancing at Remy, she noticed that he noticed it too. She refused to move.

                "Well, come on you guys! He's waiting." Jean backed up slowly, getting ready to spring into action. She backed into something solid.

                Looking all around them, men had crawled from the shadows to form a tight circle around them. A vise-like grip encircled Jean's arms and dragged her further into the building's depths. She struggled furiously, but she may as well been trying to dig through stone with toothpick. The huge man laughed at her pitiful attempts. Remy jumped on the man's back and flashed a blade from his pocket. Before he could drive it home, strong arms jerked him back, causing the blade to clatter harmlessly to the ground. He saw Jean's eyes wide with fear, and then nothing.

                Belle was the daughter of Marius Bordreaux who had a blood feud with Jean-Luc LeBeau, Remy's father. The feud just took a step up. Or so they thought.

                "Remy?" Jean whispered, crawling over to where his body was laying. So still. Blood clotted around his mouth and an ugly bruise was forming on his cheek. The light from a streetlamp was the only light in the small room where they were locked in. Jean wondered how long they had been there. She picked up his hand and laid beside him. "Please get up, Remy. Please get up!"

                She repeated the prayer over and over again until she drifted off into fretful sleep. Remy never moved a muscle.

                Remy stared down at Jean's sleeping form. He had scrutinized the hinges and their situation looked bleak. He was hurt pretty badly and he wouldn't be able to put up much of a resistance for a while anyway. She didn't look to hurt from what he could see. That scared him even more.

                "Remy!" Jean exclaimed, running to him. She very carefully embraced him and then peered at his face, which didn't look so pretty anymore.

                He smiled slightly, holding her tightly. "Did they hurt you?"

                "No." She held herself completely still and answered without hesitation. He knew she was lying anyway. She never could lie to him. He began to rub her back; something their mother did to comfort them.

                "Tell me."

                Jean looked up at him and saw the anguish on his face. She cupped his chin. "Nothing happened that hasn't happened before. I'm okay."

                Remy murmured his apologies, his words tripping over each other. When he ran out of words in English, he switched to French. Jean was trying to soothe him when they heard the footsteps in the hall. They froze immediately.

                Marius was going to use them as bait to bring Jean-Luc to New York. Remy quickly set them straight on the current situation.

                "I haven' seen my pere for two years. He has a legit'met son now. No need for me. You, on the ot'er hand, can use me. We came looking for work. I'm elite."

                "I haven't heard of a son. I don't believe you." Marius' steely gray eyes pierced into Remy's. Remy shrugged nonchalantly.

                "They shipped him t' the wife's family. T' keep him away from Guild business." Marius finally looked unsure. 

                "I'll be looking into this. If I find out you're lying, I will personally skin you and your pretty little sister alive." He stomped off, yelling for his son. "Julian!"

                "Is it true, Rem?" Jean said softly once they were back in the room. He was silent. She poked him in the ribs and he let out a hiss of pain. She immediately leapt away from him. "Take off your shirt, now!"

                He took his time obeying, and Jean, impatient, just lifted the shirt over his head. She sucked her breath in when she got a good look at the damage. The ribs were a collage of blue, yellow, purple and green painted over his thin body. Jean ran a finger over the ribs, tried to ignore the moan of agony and was satisfied as she determined nothing was broken. She allowed him to dress again.

                "Geez, you're bossy," he grumbled. "Of course it's true. Do you honestly think we'd be slumming around New York if my father still needed me? I was the heir to the patriarch of the Thieves Guild!"

                There was nothing left to do but wait. 

                "I found you were telling the truth." The words came out haltingly. Remy and Jean had been finally allowed out of the cramped, dark room a week later. They had been kept alive, no more than that. Belle was seated next to her father, a sullen expression on her face. She avoided looking at Remy though he glared at her with murder in his eyes despite barely being able to stand on his own. "And I've decided to take you up on your offer. There's a job at the MOMA I need you to set up…"

                Planning the heist went smoothly. Neither Remy nor Jean would actually be on scene, but they took care of all the technical aspects of the job. Taking the first half of their payment, they quietly snuck off into the alley.

                TOP STORY: PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN'S DAUGHTER CAUGHT IN MOMA THEFT!

Belle's face was plastered all over the front page. An anonymous tip led police to daughter's secret stash. Father was shocked at daughter's secret life.

------------------

                Remy eased his way out of the mansion to the roof. Jean had pulled up the map of all the security devices to see if there was a path they could take around them. No such luck. Remy carefully paced the roof, counting off his steps. The wind was calm and the night was foggy. He couldn't ask for better conditions. Checking his watch, he got into position. Jean could only give him two thirty second spurts to get out of the area. The streetlight flickered off in the distance.

                Go! He ran to the edge of the roof, his soft footfalls giving no indication to the patrons below that anything was amiss, and leapt into a nearby tree. He dropped into a crouch, and then sprinted towards the fountain. The streetlights flickered back on and Remy held his breath as he began to count methodically again. A figure approached an upstairs window, and Remy tried to shrink further into the shadows. The person didn't move, but there was nothing he could do about it now. The lights flickered off again and Remy, following the high wall, quickly climbed and found himself on the other side. Pulling on his trench coat, he stopped running once he was around the corner and sauntered into the swirling fog.


	3. Up Against the Wall

A/N: Not a lot of story plot here, but an interesting chapter (for me to write, at the very least).  I was planning on making this longer, but I liked how this ended and you'd have to wait at least another week if I kept going.

Nessa – here's some action for you.

                "So, is your brother joining us?" Kitty asked innocently, glancing at Jean sideways as they walked toward the recreation area. There were a lot of kids heading in that direction, and just as many heading towards the gym and library. They were given the hours following dinner to do what they wanted. As long as they stayed on the school grounds, that is.

                Jean shrugged and followed Kitty into the game room. There was a little of everything in the massive room. A bowling alley, video games, skee ball, air hockey, batting cages, and of course pool tables were spread out making the room look cluttered, yet organized at the same time. Logan and Scott had an intense game of pool going on that had drawn quite a crowd. Jean and Kitty slowly pushed their way to the front, as Kitty had absolutely no problem with walking through people. Jean watched fascinated at her first view of the game.

                Both men talked amiably enough throughout the game, but there was an undercurrent of tension and menace in their tones. And their eyes were hard and cold. Logan was studying the table carefully while Scott tapped his foot impatiently.

                "Hey, Red, give me little room here," Logan said, frowning at Jean as he tried to back up to get a closer look. His eyes burned into hers for just a split second, but it was enough to send Jean scrambling as far away as possible while still being able to catch the action.

                Almost by magic, the table turned into a grid before Jean's eyes as she concentrated. Lines sprouting from the balls zigzagged across the table disappearing into the corner and side holes. She easily ignored everyone around her as she immersed herself in the geometry of the game. As the older men played, Jean watched as the balls followed the lines, which elicited cheers, or veered off. Once the special white ball came to a stop, the lines redrew themselves. She was mesmerized.

                The balls quickly disappeared from the table and Jean was brought back to the real world as a thunderous applause filled the room. Logan had sunk the eight ball in the side pocket. His grin to Scott closely resembled a sneer. Scott's own smile was frozen in place as he congratulated Logan. Students began to wander to other areas of the room or start up their own games.

                "Hey, Jean! You wanna play?" Bobby looked predatory as he held out the pool cue to her. "Have you played before?"

                Jean slowly walked toward the table, thinking furiously. If she refused, what would they think? If she accepted and won, would that be good? Pure desire won out as she accepted the cue. "I don't know the rules exactly."

                "I'll help her," Scott announced, leaning against the wall. Logan smirked as he plopped himself into a chair nearby. Scott ignored him and turned to Jean to explain the basics. "This is how you hold the cue…"

                Jean absorbed the knowledge and got ready to play. _Please don't let me make a complete fool of myself!_

                "Game on!" Jubilee yelled, her voice easily carrying into the next room. She was sitting next to Logan, smacking her gum and talking a mile a minute. Logan seemed to endure the chatting resignedly. A smaller group of students reassembled to watch.

                Jean nervously moved to the head of the table to break. Scott readjusted her grip and Jean hit the white ball straight on, hard. The balls at the other end barely broke formation.

                Bobby gave her a superior grin as he quickly dropped the red and orange balls into the corner pockets. Jean watched him carefully. He had only two more balls on the table before Jean got another chance to play.

                She breathed deeply as the table once again shimmered into the grid she created while watching the men play earlier. Setting up an easy shot for the purple striped ball to go straight in, she concentrated on guiding the cue along the invisible line in her mind. The ball clicked as it disappeared into the pocket. She was oblivious to the people around her. She didn't hear Kitty cheer or Scott clap. She didn't feel Logan's stony stare, or hear Bobby muttering to himself.  Ball after ball found its way into the pockets around the table.

                When the eight ball sank into the corner pocket, Jean smiled and the table became just a table again. Kitty ran to her and threw her arms around her neck. Marie was laughing, telling her how great it was to finally see Bobby lose. Jean gave nodded and pushed her way through the crowd. Too many people made her nervous.

                "Nice job, Jeannie," Remy said, appearing out of nowhere. His tone was amused, but Jean could tell that he wasn't very happy with her. He was still in his working clothes, a tight black T-shirt and black cargo pants. A small duffle bag was slung over his shoulder.

                "Going somewhere, LeBeau?" Bobby said, not able to keep the bitterness from his voice. Remy ignored him and pulled Jean aside. "This is for you. M sends her regards. Fully loaded, just for you Jeannie."

                He looked proud as Jean ran her hand over the slim machine. The laptop was less than an inch thick and less than ten pounds. She moved over to an armchair and started it up. _Time to see what this baby can do!_ she thought excitedly. As the computer revved up, she beamed at Remy, who ruffled her hair. She couldn't even work up irritation from the action that he used often to remind her that she was his _baby_ sister.

                Remy smiled to himself as he pulled out a battered copy of Dante's Inferno and settled down on a rug by the fire. Taped to the bottom of page eighty were two computer chips with a map of each one on the next page. He was memorizing them. Jean looked at the computer's capacity and she was playing around with the security. In an hour, no one except her would be able to access it.

                "That's a pretty nice computer you got for Jean," Logan said, standing directly in front of 

Remy. "One would wonder how a homeless kid could get his hands on something like that."

                Remy didn't even look up. "T'ese hands could get anyt'ing. Y' jus' have t' know where t' go."

                "Interesting stunt you pulled today, kid. The others might think that you're harmless, but not me. I know better, and if I find you where you don't belong, I will end you." Logan stared down at him until Remy looked up. He grimaced slightly as he realized that Logan meant every word.

                Once Logan disappeared, Remy found that he couldn't concentrate on circuits anymore. _What are they hiding?_ he thought, his eyes drifting towards Jean. Their eyes met, their expressions identical. Grim. Worried. Determined.

                "We managed to keep up with our classes pretty well," Jean said, studying her schedule. She was lying on her stomach on her bed. A forest green comforter covered it with two fluffy pillows covered in cream at the head. Her desk was bare except for the laptop and a snapshot of her and Remy from the carnival last year. English, history, dance, self-defense, biology and calculus. Shouldn't be too difficult.

                "Uh huh," was Remy's articulate reply. He was staring out of the window watching Marie lay out on the grass to study. He told himself he didn't notice the way the sun shone off her hair, the way her foot arched like a dancer's, the way…

                "Are you listening to me? What are you looking at?" Jean bounded across the room and tried to look over his shoulder.

                "Nothin'. Quit messing with me!" He turned and gave her a fierce frown. She ignored him and pushed him out of her way. 

                "Oh, I see. Marie." Jean made a face. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl. She didn't like Remy liking her. "She's kinda quiet. The kind of person who has a lot of secrets. Someone to be wary of."

                "Like us, you mean? I understand you perfectly. I'm not going to fall for her. I'm not going to trust her. I remember the last time just as well as you. I was just looking." Remy stalked off, shooting her a cold look that lost some of its edge with the pout on his lips. 

                Jean stared after him. She hoped it wasn't too late already. She didn't understand it. She didn't go falling in love with every attractive man. She knew how dangerous men were. She knew they only brought pain and humiliation. She knew that she couldn't trust any of them except her brother. 

Marie looked up at her then and smiled and waved. Jean turned away.

"This is self-defense. You will be expected to work hard in this class. I need a volunteer." Logan eyed his class. The boys looked away, trying to avoid eye contact at all costs. Except the new kid. He stared right back, a smirk on his lips.

                "LeBeau, front and center!" Remy glided forward, unperturbed. "You're going to be our example today."

                Remy caught the innuendo and shed his coat, suddenly alert. As soon as he turned around, Logan leapt at him, his leg kicking out to catch him in the chest. Remy dropped to the floor, avoiding the blow and quickly rolled out of the way. He lost sight of where Logan was, but knew staying down would get him nowhere. He pulled himself to his feet just in time for the blow to his stomach. Logan's fist felt as if it were made of brick. The pain coiled through his system.

                "You see, class, you must always be aware. Always know where your opponent is and don't get out of one trouble just to run headfirst into another. Pay attention!" Logan yelled, watching Remy gasp for breath. He took his eye off of Remy for a split second to make sure the boys were listening. A foot slammed into his ribcage.

                "Why you fucking little…"

                "Never assume y'r opponent is down. I learned t'at one on my own," Remy rasped, circling Logan cautiously. As the older man quickly gathered his wits, Remy felt a sinking feeling. He was overpowered. Although Remy had a height advantage, Logan's entire body was pure muscle. Every 250 pounds of it. Too late to think of that now.

                They moved fluidly, Remy blocking every offense Logan offered up. Remy's quicker reflexes were letting him avoid the very serious attacks by the skin of his teeth. As Logan's blows rained down, Remy never broke concentration, meeting them with his arm, his leg, anything to keep him from harm's way. The audience ceased to exist for the two men. Logan's self-assured grin turned to a grimace. Remy had picked up some moves on the streets that knocked the older man off balance. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep Remy in the fight.

                "Whatcha doin', kid? Come here and play," Logan snarled. His advance was angling to trap Remy in the corner.

                "Anytime, ol' man," Remy hissed, at the same time moaning to himself from the pain. He could no longer feel his arms. He considered that a good thing as he was sure that the feeling wouldn't be pleasant. Logan's demeanor changed in that instant. This was no longer a game. He pulled all stops and his fist shot out. And caught Remy in the side of he head.

                Logan watched unemotionally as Remy crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. As he stared at the prone body, the rage ebbed.

                "Somebody call Hank. Class dismissed."

                Jean stared at her brother, so lifeless, so still. They tried to explain to her what happened, but she had stared straight through them as soon as she heard Remy was hurt. They were supposed to finally be safe. They were supposed to be able to be normal for once.

                Remy was never so still. Even in sleep, he tossed and turned, mumbling and talking as if he couldn't live enough when awake. Somebody was going to be sorry they hurt her brother. She finally understood the cold rages Remy went into when someone hurt her. She understood that somebody had to pay.

                It had taken a temper tantrum to get in. They weren't going to let her see him, the fools. She climbed into the bed beside him and hugged him close. He was her strength, her protector. She would never let him hurt again. The constant whirring of the machines monitoring him lulled her to sleep. She picked up his hand before nodding off.

                "You fucking idiot! Do you know how hard it was to get them here? That boy is no good to me in a coma!" Xavier rubbed his temples in an attempt to ward off the inevitable headache. "As soon as he gets up, he's going to pack up his sister and leave. This cannot be allowed to happen under any circumstances!"

                Logan turned his glare to the tabletop. Of all the people he had ever known, Xavier was the only one who could intimidate him. He hated that.

                "I'll fix it," Logan said softly. Ororo averted her eyes from him. Scott looked vaguely amused.

                "How? There's nothing binding them here. And the kid was in our system today. It's dangerous," Scott said softly. He frowned slightly at the conflicting emotions. He felt an obligation to keep them here for the Cause. It was what he dedicated his life to. There was another feeling, though. One that wanted to help them run like hell. He quickly got that desire under control and tried to concentrate on containing the problem.

                "I know why they were on the streets in the first place. They were running for their stepfather. I, uh, figured out who it was last week. Erik Lensherr." Xavier's eyes lit up.

                "Excellent. We'll use him as a last resort. Logan, you will stay away from them. You'll be taking a leave of absence for the incident. And for not reporting this information to me immediately. You will be working the lower levels and taking care of section 023." A look of disgust crossed Logan's face before he managed to smooth it into bored indifference. "The rest of you, keep them happy!"

                They all filed out of the war room. Xavier keeping Logan behind to discuss future plans.

                Scott went straight to the medical center and looked in on the kids. Remy hadn't moved, his heart and breath steady. Ugly bruises covered the left portion of his face and his arms. Swaddled in white, he looked younger than sixteen. He looked innocent. And helpless. Jean was curled up beside him in the crook of his arm. Her eyes were staring off into space, pain clearly written across her face. Scott turned away. He couldn't let himself care. There were more important things. All he had to do was remember what they were.

                Jean was aware of Scott's presence. As soon as he turned, she looked to where he was standing watching thoughtfully. Who to trust, if anyone? Sighing, she looked back at Remy. Deeper than sleep, farther than reality.

                _Wake up, Rem. Please! Something is very wrong here._ He didn't seem to hear her prayer. She squeezed his hand, buried her head into the pillow and finally let the tears fall.

*A/N: It's me again. I suck at fight scenes. I know it, yet I can't do a story without one in some scope. It's hopeless. Sorry for putting you through that. Once again, please review. I need some happiness to offset my quarter grades. Thanks!


	4. Contact

A/N:  Sorry this took so long. I promise part 5 will be up in a timely manner. Thanks for all the reviews! Keep me updated on anything you do/don't like or just want to see! Thanks!

            "Logan's disappeared and Scott has taken over his classes. If you thought math sucked, just wait until you have to listen to the details of the Civil War from Mr. Summers! Remy's still in the med ward and Jean hasn't left his side. Their parents haven't come to the school yet. Think they're orphans, like you?" Kitty said, munching on an apple. Marie frowned at the girl, but remained silent. Different versions of the story have been floating around the school, but they essentially said the same thing. "Anyways, I bet Logan took off because of what happened with Remy. Bobby always said that Logan was too aggressive in class."

            Marie nodded. She was thinking of other things. "Did you know that Ororo and Hank graduated from here?"

            "No. So what? What do you think will happen now that Logan is gone? Do you think that we'll get a new teacher? Maybe a young and cute one." Marie had been rooming with Kitty long enough to know when to put in an "Uh huh" or "hmmm" in her never ending litany. She was thinking about the strange message on her computer the other day. 

WHO DO YOU TRUST?

S. Summers  - Xavier Institute – 1995

O. Munroe    - Xavier Institute – 1996

H. McCoy    - Xavier Institute – 1992

Logan           - History unknown

C. Xavier      - History unknown

            "Hey Kitty, Marie! Have you seen Jean?" Bobby asked, his mouth twisted into a slight sneer. He knew, just like the rest of the school, that Jean hadn't left Remy's side since the incident, As far as he was concerned, Remy had been taught a well-needed lesson.

            "She's probably still with Remy. She hasn't stayed in the room since he was hurt." Kitty said.

            Bobby grimaced. "I need to give her a message from Ororo. I don't understand why she wants me to get her. I don't even like them."

            "I'll tell her, though I don't think that it's gonna matter. That girl hasn't been away from her brother for the past couple of days. I was going to take her some clothes anyway." Marie said quickly. Ignoring the strange looks from the others, she picked up an outfit from the room and walked hurriedly to the med room.

            Jean was reading the book required for her English class. She was also absently rubbing Remy's arm with her free hand. She was pretty sure that he woke up a few minutes ago, but she pretended nothing was different. Men were so prickly when they were sick.

            "Jean?" Marie said, quietly entering the room. Jean debated whether or not to ignore her. Remy tensed beneath her touch, so Jean dragged her eyes to the girl.

            "Ororo wants to see you," Marie said, putting the clothes on the counter nearby. She stood awkwardly under Jean's silent gaze. "Um, did you leave something on my computer? I asked Kitty, and she said she didn't do it. She also said she heard you were pretty good with computers and stuff, so, did ya?"

            Jean shook her head no. What the hell was she talking about? Marie opened her mouth to protest, but Jean turned toward Remy cutting off any further protest. Marie looked unsure, but finally walked out.

            Jean waited until the door clicked into place.

            "Why can't you be nice, Jeannie? You catch more flies with honey than vinegar," Remy mumbled. The light hit his eyes and made him moan in protest.

            "Who wants to catch flies? How're you feeling?" Jean asked, slipping a pair of sunglasses over his eyes.

            "I feel like I've been run over by a truck."

            "Why the fuck are you playing with that girl for?" Jean's voice was harsh, but it contradicted the fussing she did with the blankets.

            "What are you talking about? Come here." Remy pouted. He laid out and groaned, fully playing it up. Jean sighed and gave him a hug.

            "You know what I mean."

            "Oh, you mean sending out feelers like you did with the Summers guy." Remy said, smiling slightly at Jean's gasp of surprise. "Go get me some clothes so I can get out of here, then we can plan how to walk away. D'ya think they'll let us just say, 'Sorry, but I don't think this will work?'"

            "Not since you went to their secret underground lair," Jean said, rolling her eyes. "I'll be back in a few minutes." On her way out, Jean waved to the hidden camera.

            Logan in the surveillance room cursed loudly. It was times like these that he wished they had sound monitored in all the rooms. He froze Jean's image on the screen.

            "What is that?" Ororo asked, running her hands over Logan's shoulders. He sighed contentedly as she massaged lightly.

            "Those damn kids know where the camera is." Ororo's hand suddenly gripped him hard and Logan winced.

            "Impossible. That camera is smaller than the tip of a pencil."

            "I know." He growled.

            "I'll tell the professor he should start the therapy sessions. I'm supposed to befriend the little brat, but she's been in with her brother since the incident."

            "We haven't failed yet, darlin'. Go and tell Xavier for me. The boy is up, too." He watched Ororo's long, lithe figure gracefully exit before calling the access logs for the system.

            Everything looked normal and he didn't really think the system could be tampered with. Doug Ramsey, a graduate of the Institute, had designed it right before his tragic and untimely death. He was a genius. Two street kids with no education didn't have a chance.

            "Hi there. I'm glad to see you up and about," Ororo said, smiling brightly. "Are you in any pain?"

            Remy struggled to sit up. "I'm fine now. Any chance of getting' out of here?"

            "I'll have to get Hank to clear you. Here are some painkillers. I'll be right back."

            Remy threw the pills in his mouth and Ororo smiled brightly and walked briskly out of the room. As the doors closed, Jean stuck out her hand and Remy gave her the pills. Jean grimaced and shoved them in her pocket. Ick.

            "Ororo tells me you want to get out of here," Hank said, walking in briskly and looking over a chart. Both Remy and Jean froze for a second before they realized that he meant out of the hospital room. Hank didn't seem to require an answer as he checked Remy's pulse and temperature. "Your head hurt?"

            "Ororo gave me some painkillers. I wanna go back t' my room." Remy gave a sheepish grin. "I don' like med rooms."

            "Well, you look all right to me. Come straight here if you need another pain killer or anything strange happens."

            "T'anks!" Jean and Remy practically ran from the room. Once they reached the main corridor, they split.

            "I'm gonna take a shower and change again. Meet you back here in fifteen minutes," Remy said over his shoulder as he took off for his room.

            Jean watched him take off. She was aware of Jubilee as she came around the corner. Jubilee paused to see what Jean was staring at.

            "Where's he goin'?" Jubilee asked, snapping her gum. She watched Remy hurry up the stairs over her sunglasses. As always, she wore that glaring yellow coat. Jean smiled at the girl.

            "He has to go wash the med room smell off."

            Jubilee matched her grin and linked her arm through Jean's. "Come on! Kitty just got her care box from her folks. We'll be dining on chocolate tonight!" The girls broke into a run, much to the consternation of the other students milling around.

            "Jean! Hi! Your brother must be better! Join us!" Kitty was bouncing on the bed on her knees. "Marie thinks she's too good for chocolate so my parents sent her some wheat crackers." Marie made a face and returned to her book. She was munching on the crackers, though.

            "I have to go back down in a few minutes." Jean caught the Snickers bar Kitty threw at her and grinned at her. "But I can stay up here for a little while."

            "Isn't this, like, totally fated? I mean, Remy gets all better and treats show up!" Jubilee said while searching through the large brown box before coming up triumphantly with a large box of Raisinettes.

            Jean carefully put the chocolate bar away and smiled as she watched the girls reach the peak of their sugar high. She realized that time had gotten away, so she left Jubilee and Kitty to torment Marie. Hershey kisses were soon flying through the air and Jean laughingly slammed the door shut before she was pelted with the candy.

            He was leaning against the banister, talking to Ororo when she ran downstairs. Coming across them very quickly, Jean came up short and paused to catch her breath. Neither of them looked up at her.

            "Well, think about it. It will help your transition tremendously," Ororo said, smiling at him.

            "Oui, chere," Remy said absently. He frowned up at Jean and simply walked away. Jean grumbled to herself as she followed him. She knew he would bring up her tardiness if she said anything.

            "So what have you been doing while I was in my never-ending sleep?" Remy asked as he settled himself by the lake. Jean followed suite and settled beside him.

            "Oh, you mean beside driving myself crazy with worry? I found out some stuff." Remy was quiet for a couple of seconds.

            "What did you find out?"

            "Just checked the financial records. They're very interesting. This school has a lot of support."

            "Anything we can use?" Remy asked. He leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes. Jean scooted closer and leaned against him.

            "I think so. I'll have to dig a little further, but it'll be tough. There are multiple systems being manipulated." 

            "Erik knows we're here. Xavier an' him go way back and he's on his way over here as we speak."

            "How do you know that? There's no way you can know that. You heard wrong."

            Remy arched an eyebrow at her. "I replayed the phone calls from Xavier's office I'm taping." Jean was silent and Remy pushed her chin up so she was looking at him. "I'm not going to let him near you. Trust me."

            Jean nodded quickly. She forced her hands to stop shaking and breathed deep. 

            "There's something else.  When I burst in on their little secret meeting, I made a small detour." Remy thrust two manila folders at her. "Our files. The bastards have been keeping tabs on us since Emma left. Everything's in there."

            Jean pulled a lighter out of her pocket and lit the folders. She didn't want to read them. Instead, she concentrated on the growing ball of fire, oblivious to everything else.

            "Are you crazy? Anyone can see that!" Remy snapped, putting out the fire by dunking the papers into the lake. Jean turned to him with tears in her eyes. He said softly, "We'll get rid of it tonight. Come on, we better go in and pretend that everything's just wonderful now."

            "What was Ororo talking about when I came downstairs?"

            "When you were late in meeting me? She seemed to think we could benefit from therapy to help us with the trying ordeals of our young lives." Jean made a face.

            "I knew you were going to bring up that I was just a couple minutes late. What did you tell her?"

            "You know that I was starting to worry. I told her I'd take it under consideration." Remy hastily stuffed the files back under his trench as they neared the door.

            "You know, Marie is taking therapy sessions. So is your roommate, Bobby. And both Scott and Ororo when they were in school."

            Remy frowned. "Well, stay out of trouble because all they need is a reason to say it's for your own safety or some bullshit like that." He froze at the top step. Jean bumped into him.

            "Hey, what are you---" Jean stopped with her mouth hanging open in shock.

            "Hi kids! What kind of greeting is that?"

            "Cece. Hi."

* Coming up next à a flashback piece with Cece, a little more info on the Xavier School, and the promised cast will be completed. Please review!! J


	5. Underground

A/N: Whew! Told you I'd be better with this chapter. Okay, I lied about understanding what was going on at the Institute. I was going to make it clear, but it's going to take a few more chapters. We're about half way through the story (I think- I haven't actually finished the rough draft). One more thing- I have no idea if the electronic things in here are actually plausible, so if they're glaringly off, shake your head in disgust and then try to come up with an alternate world that it would work in.  So please read, enjoy, review!

"Xavier was just showing me around. It's been a while, huh? Nice to see you guys looking so healthy. What, Jean, no greeting?" The Puerto Rican doctor was looking back and forth between Remy and Jean. Jean waved quickly and stepped out from behind Remy. "What is wrong with you two?"

            "Sorry, Cece, you just surprised us," Remy said flatly. 

            "Hmm. Well, Xavier offered to get me out of that hell-hole I was working in so I decided to come home." Cecelia Reyes smiled at Xavier. She looked like a daughter looking for approval. It gave Remy the creeps.

            "Home? You used to come here?" Jean asked. Cece did a double take.

            "Yup. I didn't know you could talk. Xavier mentioned that Hank needed more time for research and his classes, so here I am."

            "I thought you liked the ER," Remy said, looking at her curiously. The Cecelia Reyes he knew would never leave that "hell-hole".

            Cece paused for a second and frowned. "I did."

            "It's time for dinner. We're going to formally introduce Cecelia tonight," Xavier cut in brightly. He smiled down at Cece and watched everyone trudge into the main hall.

            Jean sidled up to Cece and whispered, "I'm glad you're here."

            Cece looked surprised, but leaned down to give the girl a hug. "Me too."

            The dining hall was full of noise when they entered. Remy pulled Jean aside as Xavier and Cece went to take their places at the head table. 

            "We go in tonight."

---------------------------1 year ago--------------------------------

            There was a light layer of snow on the ground. Forecasters claimed it would be five inches by the next morning. Remy had his face pressed up to the upstairs window. It was so cold outside he shivered just watching the people scurry on the streets. Jean's raspy breath was competing with the whipping wind outside.

            Remy stuck his hands deep in his pockets, fumbling for more pills. The moon's light cast a deathly glow to his skin that mirrored how he was feeling.

            "Here, Jeannie, take these," he murmured, holding the aspirin and water to her lips. She struggled to open her eyes. The cup seemed too big to her, and water leaked down her chin as she tried to drink.

            Her eyes had heavy shadows beneath them. They seemed less green, her hair looked less red. In Remy's opinion, she was a living ghost. He was scared out of his mind. He decided to risk it all.

            "Come on, petite, put the jacket on," he coaxed, practically picking her up and dressing her like a doll. Jean just stared up at him questioningly as he piled clothing and blankets on her. "We're going to the hospital."

            She tried to struggle. They couldn't go. They didn't have the money. People would ask questions.

            "If we don't go, you could die," Remy said harshly. "Don't try to argue with me. Conserve your strength. I'm not going to lose you!"

            He carried her outside and had a cab take them to Our Mother of Mercy.

            "Fill these forms out," the ER attendant said, barely looking at him. The room was packed full of agonizing cries and pitiful moans. Remy made his way back to Jean, who was leaning up against the wall, trying her best to stay awake.

            Remy quickly filled out the forms with the information from the life they left so long ago. He ran the forms back to the front desk.

            "The wait'll be two hours for you." She didn't look up, didn't wonder why Remy was taking care of the information.

            "Two hours! My sister is really sick! She needs someone now!"

            "Look around you, son; gunshot wounds, stabbings. We're busy tonight and if there's no blood, nothing broken then the wait is two hours."

            Remy stalked back to his seat, finding it taken by a man holding a bloody gauze to his head. He pulled Jean onto his lap and waited. Minutes slowly ticked away with no change. People moved in and out, noise went up and down. Three hours later, Remy got up to check on Jean's status.

            "I wanna check our status. Rachael Dayspring." The alias flowed easily off his tongue. The man now at the desk checked for the forms.

            "She's sick? You're going to have to make an appointment. This is the Emergency Room."

            "This is an emergency. She can't breathe. Help her. The lady said it would be a two hour wait – three hours ago!"

            "This is not for sick people, this is for people with life-threatening injuries. You should have made an appointment long ago if she is as bad as you say."

            "We've been here for three hours! I'm not leaving until someone helps her!"

            "I'm sorry. I can make an appointment for you for tomorrow."

            "Excuse me." They both turned and faced a young woman with cocoa colored skin appraising them through wire-rimmed fames. She was wearing a white lab coat.

            "Doctor, my sister is very sick," Remy began, his voice betraying his desperation.

            "Bring her back here," the woman said. Turning to the attendant, she ordered him to give her Jean's forms. Remy ran toward the waiting room.

            "C'mon Jeannie, wake up," Remy murmured, carrying her out of the waiting room and into an examination room.

            "Hi, I'm Dr. Reyes. Let's see what we have here." She began checking Jean's pulse and temperature.

            "She's been sick for about a week. I thought it was a cold, then the flu. I gave her medicine, but she never seemed to be doing any better," Remy said quietly. "Then she began throwing up and wheezing."

            "Hmm," was all Dr. Reyes said. Jean was pretty groggy, so she didn't put up much of fight against all the probing. "Looks like pneumonia. She's going to have to stay here for a couple of days. Do your parents have coverage?"

            Remy didn't say anything.

            "You don't have the money." It wasn't a question and Remy didn't say anything for a minute.

            "I'll get the money."

            Dr. Reyes bit her lip. "Well, the doctors here have a fund for, uh, kids like you. I can put in an application."

            Remy opened his mouth to refuse when Jeans hand shot out and clamped around his wrist. Cecelia turned away.

            "Accept her offer," Jean said softly, but firmly.

            "Jeannie, I can get the money. We don't accept charity."

            "I know how you're going to get the money. Remember last time? Along with the money, you also got a broken leg and cracked ribs. Accept the offer."

            Remy glared at her, but didn't argue any further. Cece sighed in relief when he told her of their decision. This is why she became a doctor – to help those who can't help themselves.

------------------------------------------

            Jean got her way. She would get to penetrate the underground offices of the Institute. The mission: find out what was going on. So far the only thing Remy and Jean could find was that a lot of the graduates got high position jobs and the school had a very healthy alumni circle. Nothing wrong with that, but they were sure something more sinister was at work.

            It had taken a full hour to convince Remy she should go, and still he was grumbling. "Don't know why you're going. You've never done this before."

            "You know I can, though. Relax." Jean was scared out of her mind. Though truly confident that she would have no problem breaking into the systems downstairs, she didn't know what she would do if she were caught.

            The girls were still living it up back in Jean's room. The party had grown to ten teenage girls bouncing around the room. Smiling sweetly, Jean explained that she needed to catch up on some homework. She offered to switch rooms for the night with Theresa Cassidy, daughter of CIA head Sean Cassidy. The girl agreed, flipping her bright red hair out of her face.

            Jean headed to the library and plugged into the system through the computers that were set up for research to set up a few things to get her in undetected. The videos cameras were set up to loop and the doors were unlocked but still showed the telltale red light. All that remained was a small break in the system's continuity. Jean got ready to run.

            "The systems just blinked off," Scott insisted. Logan looked over his shoulder.

            "Well, they're back on now! Ororo just checked in and said Jean was in bed and Hank is gambling with the boys in Remy's room," Logan said, impatience creeping into his voice. "I thought you made sure all the upgrades were made to the system."

            "I did. You said to tell you if anything weird happened, so I did," Scott said stubbornly.

            Jean smiled to herself as she crept down and crawled past them. The file room was a couple doors down. Her laptop was strapped securely to her back. The door opened soundlessly and Jean quickly got herself situated. First thing to do was to jam the door against any intrusion. Although this would alert anyone trying to get in, it would give Jean enough time to send the information somewhere safe. Second, Jean hacked into the files that contained all the information on the students- past, present, and for the future.

            "Come to mama," she whispered as her fingers flew across the keyboard. Getting Xavier's codes had been easy for Remy. The man obviously felt no one would dare intrude upon his private space because the lift took about a minute. While she downloaded and saved the information from the computer, Jean decided to look at the hard copies as well.

            The keys for the file drawers were taped to the back. Jean rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the action and dove in. She was pleased that both her and Remy's files were missing. She found a file for Cece. She paused in her reading to switch disks twice. As she learned more and more, she grew more and more angry. Cece had reported everything she and Remy had told her. Then she came across Lensherr, Erik. Her stepfather. Jean caught the scream in her throat and forced herself to move on. She waited until her hands stopped shaking before she continued.

            There was more. Under each student's file, there was a former student's name. In the file there was a check stub with a healthy sum going towards the former student. They were getting paid for each kid they got into the Institute. She checked an older student's file and saw a lot of financial transactions. A lot of money was coming into the school. Jean noticed that her computer had stopped downloading, so she quickly packed up and got ready to leave. They would look in depth at the files when there was more time. She hooked into the campus' video system, bypassed her patch and saw that Xavier was in with Hank in his lab and Scott and Logan were still in security. Jean got out of the lower levels without incident. One more obstacle to go. Ororo was pacing the girls' dorms, so Jean backtracked and went upstairs to Remy's room.

            "Remy?" she said as she opened the door a crack. Her voice was soft as she slowly immersed herself in the darkness of the room.

            "Shh. C'mere." Jean carefully made her way toward him. She stashed the computer under the bed and climbed her way to the head of the bed.

            She then cried all over him.

            "What's wrong? Jeannie, calm down." Remy was alarmed. He glanced worriedly at the door as if expecting someone to burst through. He pulled the comforter over both of their heads to hide the noise.

            She hiccupped. "He knows we're here. He always knew where we were."

            "Who knows?" He rubbed her back to try to calm her down.

            "Erik." Remy felt his hands go cold. Just saying the name brought back a hard fear that flowed through his body. Ever since they were little, Erik had run the house with an iron fist. They had been trained to fear him. "We're out of here tomorrow. We need to stay out of sight for a while from this place."

            "How do we do that?"

            Remy shrugged. "We'll just have to be careful."


	6. On the Run

A/N: My computer broke, so sorry for the wait. Um, Eric finally appears, the kids go on a little adventure. I'm having a little trouble with the end (which I give to happen in another 5-7 chapters), so please throw out some ideas of what you'd like to see. One question: happy or sad or bittersweet ending? Hmmmm. One more thing- Peter probably has some OOCness. I'm sorry, but I don't know or like him that much. I just needed another guy. Well, enjoy and please review!

                Jean put her hand over his mouth and tilted her head towards the door. Light footfalls sounded on the thick carpet that lined the hall.

                "Ororo," Remy breathed. He pulled the comforter back down, and they closed their eyes, pretending to be asleep. There was a soft knock on the door before it was opened. Ororo peeked in and shined her penlight towards Remy's bed. She caught sight of Jean's flaming tresses.

                "Jean, come with me. You can't stay here," she whispered, gently shaking the girl. Jean mumbled something incoherently before stumbling to her feet. Remy cracked open an eye, looked from Ororo to Jean and back again before turning on his side.

                Jean allowed herself to be led back to her room. Theresa had already moved back to her own room, so Ororo watched like a hawk as Jean snuggled into her own bed. When the door finally closed, Jean sat up wide awake. _Time to get down to business_, Jean thought as she began going through her drawers and packing things away. Neither of her roommates stirred.

                Remy did something that he hadn't done in a long time. He was up and dressed by the time breakfast was served. He was waiting at the bottom of the main staircase, drumming his fingers on the banister. As the students began to drift towards the cafeteria, he moved against the wall, staring at the top. Everyone moved around him as if he didn't exist. He was invisible. Just the way he liked it.

                "When are we leaving?" Jean asked from behind him. Remy turned to glower at her.  
                "Why didn't you come down the main stairway?"

                She shrugged. "I surprised you, huh?" A huge grin broke across her face. "Finally!"

                "Now is not the time for all of that. We're leaving after breakfast. Are you packed up and ready to go?" He had a sour look on his face as they joined the steady stream of people into the cafeteria.

                "Yup." They silently got food and found a table secluded in the back of the room. The noise floated all around them, but they didn't speak another word. Jean was thinking about having to move around again. Just when she thought there would be some stability in her life, it was all crushed to pieces. Remy was trying to figure how they would drop out of sight. As far as he could tell, the school had agents everywhere. The first problem would be getting out of state. As the warning bell rang, Remy and Jean looked up at each other. Brown met green, and they knew that through everything else, they would be together.

                "Ready?" Remy asked, his mouth pulled into a grimace. His worn trench coat was around his shoulders although the day was warm. His black duffle was under one arm and Jean's laptop was under the other. Jean had a black sweatshirt tied around her waist and her hair was tied up in a ponytail. She kept looking up nervously at Remy.

                "I guess so." They walked nonchalantly out the door and straight towards the gate. Someone yelled at them to stop, but they simply walked a little faster. By the time they reached the gates, they were at a dead run.

                A yellow cab pulled up to the gate just as Remy jerked it open. As he realized that no one was chasing them, he slowed down. Then grinded to a halt. Jean slammed into his back.

                "We're too late," she moaned slumping against him.

                Erik Lensherr stood towering over his stepdaughter. He was a handsome man, with wavy silver hair and piercing blue eyes. Everything about him screamed money, class, and importance. He gave the kids a lazy smile, and reached towards Jean.

                They tore away from there as if they had the devil on their heels.

                Xavier grimaced as he watched Remy and Jean take off. The planning was almost perfect. If only they would have given him another couple of minutes…

                "Welcome, Erik," he said warmly. "Let me show you to your suite."

                Erik paused at the strain he detected in Xavier's voice, but answered with a winning smile. He didn't even notice as Scott and Logan took off after his stepchildren. As he lugged his bulging bags into the mansion, he congratulated himself on being so lucky. Claiming those little brats would gain him a small fortune.

                Scott and Logan were running the streets of New York, fast on Remy and Jean's tail. They were headed to the heart of the city, and Logan was feverishly hoping they caught up to them before that happened. He refused to let the kids get the best of him again.

                Scott was wheezing at his side. "They gotta slow down, right? I mean, they can't keep up at this pace, right?"

                Logan rolled his eyes as he stopped to look down the streets. "There! They went into that restaurant!"

                When they reached the entryway to the eatery, Jean and Remy were nowhere to be found. The local patronage barely looked up as Scott and Logan nearly broke the door trying to get in. The manager pulled himself out from behind the counter and sauntered over to them.

                "Party of two?" He scratched his belly and pointed to an empty table.

                "You see a couple of kids come through here?" Logan asked, glaring at the man.

                "Nope. Don' like kids. Never ken pay." He wasn't intimidated. He leaned against the counter. A couple of the men nearby stopped what they were doing and looked up with interest. A huge man with bright orange hair stood in the back just in case he was needed.

                "We just saw them run in here," Scott said evenly. The whole place was silent. The man took his time answering as he stepped back behind the counter.

                "We don' have kids here." His gaze was fixed on the security screen. A few seconds passed before he said, "Now you can check the place."

                Logan and Scott looked at one another before racing out the door, hoping for a glimpse of them. There was nothing. They wandered around the area, checking down the various alleys and darkened doorsteps.

                "I know where they went," a youth said hoarsely. He was a scraggly looking boy, with greasy black hair sticking out from under a beat-up baseball cap. He had a dirty yellow tee shirt on. Track marks scarred his arms.

                "Who are we looking for?" Logan asked cautiously. He didn't really have time for the strung out kid to be messing with him.

                "The girl with the red hair and her brother. They used to hang around here all the time. I can tell you where they went – for a price."

                Logan and Scott conferred. 

                "He's obviously high on something. I don't think we can trust him," Scott said. He didn't want to give the boy money to use for drugs.

                "We need to grab those kids. If we don't use his information, we're screwed. Unless you have any better ideas, I'm using him," Logan said stubbornly. He turned to the kid.

                "I'll give ya fifty bucks…"

                Remy and Jean huddled on the bed in the motel. They were tired from running and tense from fear. The room was ugly. Paint hung in strips on the wall, the bathroom was more brown than white, and Jean was sure she saw something big and black scuttle into the wall. Remy had picked the lock to get in, and now they simply sat, too tired to do anything else. The window was pushed wide open, and they stayed close to it, ready to run at any second.

                Remy had his coat pulled tightly around him even though it was eighty degrees outside. His hair was in his eyes, but he didn't notice. He stared straight ahead, though his head was angled toward the window, hoping he could catch any sound of the mess going on outside. His hands were playing with a beat-up deck of cards. He shuffled them over and over and over again.

                Jean sat beside him, her legs folded beneath her. Her hair was in a messy braid with an old baseball cap shoved over it. She sat perfectly still, scarcely breathing. Her mind was furiously thinking, though. Her face was scrunched up in concentration.

                "You think Tracks saw us?" Jean whispered the thing that had weighed heavily on both their minds for the past few minutes. She turned to face her brother.

                Remy didn't answer, but his hands stopped moving.

                "You know, we should get out of here. He'll know where we went. We should go to the arcade, the mall, anywhere else!" She was quickly losing her cool and began to rock back and forth.

                Remy nodded, and pulled her to the window. "You need to calm down. We're going to go down the fire escape, and then split up. You head toward the street faire in Greenwich Village. I'll meet you there in two hours."

                Jean eyed him suspiciously. "What are you going to do until then?"

                "Get us a fucking way out of this mess."

                Once they were safely down the fire escape, they quickly moved in opposite directions. It was time to play the waiting game.

                "Why aren't you coming? Don't you care that your roommate's missing?" Kitty asked incredulously. They had just been introduced to Remy and Jean's stepfather and told of their disappearance. Kitty was quickly changing and putting her school things away.

                Marie was lying on her bed, a book in front of her face.

                "They were on the streets for all those years, I'm sure they're fine. If they wanted to stay here, then they wouldn't have left," she reasoned simply. "If they want to be here, then they'll come back." The book never wavered an inch from her face, her head never turned the slightest bit.

                "They could be hurt, or worse!" Kitty said, with growing frustration. She still didn't know her roommate after all these years. She saw how different they were and wondered how it came to be.

                Marie was thinking the same thing. Kitty came from a well-to-do home, had never known want, or hunger, or betrayal. She also didn't see beneath the surface. Marie had noticed that they never spoke about any other family. Having run away from home herself, she didn't really wonder why.

                "They're not hurt, they just don't want to be here. Think about it for a second. They go from total freedom to all these rules. Yes, there is a price to total freedom, but to some people, it's worth it."

                "They just need to give it a chance. They're just kids. Of course they need someone to look after them. I'm gonna go help," Kitty said defiantly, stomping out of the room. 

                Marie shrugged, and turned back to her book. You just can't reason with some people.

                "I don't know why I'm being dragged along," Bobby whined. He flopped on his bed and threw a rolled pair of socks at his wall. "It's not like I care if they're gone."

                Peter smiled. "I told you to enroll in the art class with me. Not only do I get out of this little trip, but I'm totally surrounded by pretty women."

                Bobby glared. "That doesn't help me now, does it?"

                Peter shrugged. "No, not really. Think of it this way, at least you get out of this place for a while. I swear they don't want us to experience life outside these walls!"

                "Why do you think they ran away? You would think that they'd be falling all over themselves to stay here. I heard they were living in an alley up near Harlem."

                "You just can't tell about some people. Perhaps they just wanted to get out of here. Remy's jumped the wall before. I don't know what all the fuss is about. They'll probably be back for dinner." Peter was gathering his charcoals and paper.

                "Well, here I go. To the airport. My favorite place to spend an afternoon. At least I get out of Scott's class later," Bobby said glumly. "How the hell are they going to catch a plane? They don't have any money."

                _I hope we don't find them at all. Everything was just fine until they started poking into things! Maybe Xavier should take them to go see Starsmore…_

                "Don't worry, Kitty. Xavier is sure that they were headed this way. Just keep your eyes peeled," Ororo said comfortingly. She patted the girl on the shoulder affectionately before taking off to the upper floor of the airport.

                They had just gotten word back from Scott and Logan that they had lost the trail. Xavier had lost his legendary cool and was screaming into the phone. Ororo and Hank quickly dropped what they were doing to help out. Classes had been cancelled and the school was left to Moira MacTaggert, the counselor, and Cece. No one said a word as the Mercedes pulled up to JFK Airport.

                Erik and Xavier went immediately to airport security and began asking about the kids. If it had only been that simple. Ororo had been walking around with a knot in her stomach ever since those kids had arrived. She personally believed that if they were lost forever, things would be for the better. After all, what could they know, and who would possibly believe them?

                Remy quickly headed toward Broadway. He was praying that M was sticking to her schedule. Nobody turned a head at the scruffy looking kid walking through the university. In the middle of the library at NYU sat Monet St. Croix eating an apple, a book in her face. She looked elegant in an ivory colored sweater and black slacks. She sat alone.

                "M, I'm in trouble," he said, handing her a disk. He plopped down into a chair next to her.

                "That doesn't surprise me. What's this for?" she asked, pocketing the disk and marking her place in the book.

                "I need you to go through these files and see what they mean. If I'm right, it could show that the Xavier Institute is a front for some government agency."

                "So what. I doubt anybody will care about that. People are used to the government hiding things."

                "This time they're using kids. People will care. Just do me a favor and go through these. Pull out the most convincing sources and send it to my mailbox." He paused. "Oh yeah, and if you don't hear from me every three days, assume the worst has happened and fucking go after those bastards. Get your father involved. I trust you, M."

                Monet just stared at him. "Anything else you need, Rem?"

                "No. Just make it happen." He pulled her into a desperate hug. He had a feeling he wouldn't see her again for a very long time – if ever. She stroked his hair and murmurmed something comforting. He was her best friend. He was her only friend.

                Monet held him close. "Take care of Jeannie. And Remy." He turned to face her. "Take care of yourself."

                As he left, she gave a silent prayer for his safety, and then opened her book again.

                Jean was tired of wandering through the endless stands of jewelry, clothing and baked goods. She sat on the curb, trying not to get worried about how much time was passing. Nobody paid attention to her. She absently fingered a silver cross before moving on. She had been in a church once. It was snowing outside, and the doors were open. She and Remy fell asleep under one of the back pews until one of the clergy kicked them out. She decided then that God didn't exist.

                "You ready to go?" Remy said from behind her. He fingered the cross as well, then lowered his head for a brief prayer. It was something the two had spent hours debating.

                "Yes. Finally," she said, hiding the fact that he startled her. She was pretty sure he knew anyway. "Where are we going?"

                "To California."

                "We got a lead on those kids you wanted," a security officer told Xavier. They had been at the airport for hours with no luck. Xavier had sent Ororo and Kitty to the other airport an hour ago. "They took Greyhound to New Jersey."

                "Thank you," Xavier said between clenched teeth. Of course there were other ways out of he city, but he had been so sure they couldn't leave. Unless they had help…

                Xavier pulled Erik to the side.

                "Call everyone together. Then we have to talk."

                Once they were at the mansion, Erik and Xavier met over Scotch.

                "Who do they know out of the city?" Xavier asked.

                "Nobody I know," Erik said, smoothly. "Well, they took care of my cousin's kid for a little while, but she's just a baby. They never told me what happened to her, and I didn't really care. Still, they haven't seen her in years. I've been watching them like you asked."

                "Can we use her as bait?"

                "I don't know. I don't even know where she is. Like I said, they only watched her for a year at most, and then got rid of her."

                "What's her name?"

                "Emma."


	7. Dark Past

A/N:  There's a flashback with some child abuse in it. For those who want to skip it, the scene is between the dashed lines. Updates should be a little better now my computer is up and running again. Um, there's pretty much a little bit of everyone in this chapter. Please review. I'm in class until 10pm tonight, so make me happy and tell me what you think J

            Jean was laying across Remy's lap as they flew from New Jersey to San Francisco. First class. The eight-hour flight was uneventful, and Remy stopped expecting his stepfather to jump out of the bathroom at them. He hated this feeling of fear, of insecurity that was invoked every time he thought of the man. As he watched the endless sky, he closed his eyes and got his first bit of sleep in three days. He pulled his sunglasses on, and slept sitting up with a magazine opened in front of him. Just in case.

                "Come on, Jeannie," Remy said, shaking her shoulder. She slept the entire way over, and now yawned indelicately. He quickly grabbed their duffels and dragged her out of the plane.

            "Where are we going?" 

                "I haven't decided yet."

                She stopped short and stared at him.

                "Are we just going to walk around until something magical happens?"

                "No. Just until we have enough money to get a hotel room."

                Jean groaned. "Don't you know somebody here?"

                Remy grinned at her. "Yeah, but I don't think it will do us any good to look him up. He's probably still mad that I…um…helped his sister out."

                "Will the sister help us out?"

                "Well…probably not. Y' see, then her best friend needed…"

                "Remy!"

                "Let's go downtown and redistribute the wealth."

                "They're fucking off our scans. We totally lost where they went when they hit New Jersey. For all we fucking know, they hitchhiked into fucking Canada!" Xavier was quickly losing his cool. He paced angrily in the war room while the staff watched him warily. The only one unconcerned was Erik, who was sipping a gin and tonic.

                "Their pictures went out to press today. It won't be long now, sir," Scott said softly. He and Logan had been privately screamed at earlier. He exchanged a glance with Ororo across the table. She grimaced, but nodded slightly.

                "Sir, Why is it so important that we get them back? So they read their files. So what? They don't know anything. And even if they did, we don't do anything illegal. Plus, who are they going to tell?"

                Xavier turned and stared at her. An odd expression crossed his face. "You're right, Ororo, it doesn't matter so much that they know a little more than the average student here. That's not what is important. These are special kids. We already have bids on them. Both of them. What good can they do the world living in an alley? We need these kids because the world needs these kids."

                Ororo immediately nodded and leaned back in her seat, content. Scott looked back and forth from her to Xavier in disbelief.

                _What kind of shit is that? And she accepts it!_ He shook his head and frowned at the desk. _Am I the crazy one? No one else is saying a word._

                Xavier was watcing Scott very carefully.

                "Scott, I think it's time for us to talk again. You haven't had a session in a while."

                "Yes, sir." _And I can talk to you about this crap surrounding those kids._

                unTouchable1: so what do u need me 2 do?

                phoenixREDD: nothing now. just listen.

                unTouchable1: I don't wanna b here anymore.

                phoenixREDD: just keep ur mouth shut, and u'll b fine. Stay out of X.'s office.

                unTouchable1: are u coming back?

                phoenixREDD: yeah, but not for a while. G2G. bye.

                Remy watched as Jean chatted on the computer. They found a busy coffee house and had been there for hours now. A cup of strong black coffee sat on the table with an untouched copy of Engineering Mechanics next to it. A couple of college freshmen kept looking over at them and giggling when Remy made eye contact. Remy didn't want to get the girl involved in this mess. If only she had never butt into things that were none of her business. If only he had never laid eyes on Xavier. If only…

                Jean. She was so strong. She expected everything to turn out okay. She still believed in good and evil, that they were opposing forces and that good conquered all. Every time he thought about what Jean had been through, and how she could still see good in the world, he strengthened his resolve to fight until death so that she would never lose that.

                Remy sighed. If only she knew what he had done to her. For her. He leaned against the couch and just watched her as she surfed on the computer.

----------------Four years ago---------------

                He heard her crying. Remy didn't think much of it. That girl was always crying since their mother died six months ago. He had just come back from New Orleans for the last time. No more shuttling back and forth along the coast. His father no longer wanted him. 

                He vaguely heard Erik's boots echo in the hall. He hated that bastard. As far as he was concerned, he had killed his mother. In the back of the house, a door slammed shut. Remy stared at the homework sheet in front of him, but couldn't work. Suddenly, everything was just…too quiet.

                He slid from the kitchen table and walked silently to investigate. He crept towards Jean's room slowly when he heard a small sound. Using his training, he stood completely still and concentrated. It was squeaking and harsh breathing.

                His blood ran cold.

                It seemed like everything happened in slow motion. The door crashed open and Erik sat straight up. His body was bare from the waist down. His hair was hanging in sweaty strands in his face, and his eyes were heavy-lidded from too much liquor. He looked around the room, confused. Jean had her fist stuffed in her mouth, trying to keep from crying out. Tears streamed down her face. Her thin, pale body was covered in bruises.

                Remy didn't think. He picked up a lamp and smashed it over his stepfather's head. He brought it down again and again until a thin wail broke through his rage. Jean was curled into a ball, screaming into her chest.

                "Shh, petite. It'll be okay," he soothed, wrapping a blanket around her. He pulled her close and rocked her in his lap. She was violently shaking and trying to pull away from him. He was trying to keep a hold on her, but also trying to be as gentle as possible. "I'm not gonna hurt you, Jeannie."

                She didn't say a word, but stopped trying to fight him. He was scared by the glassy look on her face. He quickly carried her to his room and began throwing clothes into a duffel bag.

                "I'm going to pack you some clothes. I want you to go into the bathroom and clean up, and pack whatever we're going to need in there. I'm going to take you away, okay?" He didn't wait for her to answer before running down the hall, back to her room.

                Jean jumped into the shower and scrubbed her body until it hurt. The water was scalding hot, but she didn't notice. A light knock on the door made her jump.

                "Hurry up, Jeannie." The door opened and Remy pushed some clothes into the bathroom.

                She quickly dried herself and got dressed. Wet red stands framed a face she no longer knew. Emerald green eyes stared back at her from the mirror, but they were so cold, so old. She looked away.

                "You ready?" She nodded and followed him to the couch. She brushed through her hair as he organized the stuff and packed some food. She never spoke a word.

                Remy watched her carefully. Every time he moved close to her, she flinched a bit. 

                "I'm sorry, Jeannie," he said softly, pulling her hand in his. She patted his knee before pulling away. It was time to go. They never set foot in that house again.

                They wandered through Boston until dark before they found an empty study room in Harvard's engineering building. Jean fell into a fitful sleep, her thumb in her mouth as if she were a toddler. Remy watched over her that night; the first night of many to come.

                "I'm so sorry."

--------------------------

                "It wasn't your fault," Jean said softly. She was gazing down at him, love and concern written clearly across her face.

                "Yes it was. I should have known. I should have watched over you."

                "You were so young. There wasn't anything you could do. We didn't know how screwed up people could be."

                "Still…"

                Jean cupped his face in her palm. He looked startled before relaxing into a weak smile.

                "Stop it. You are the best big brother ever. You will stop feeling guilty over something neither of us could control. You will get some rest so that we can keep running tomorrow."

                "Yes ma'am. Did I ever tell you I ran with the track team while you were taking those writing classes?" He grinned shyly.

                Jean giggled. "No way!"

                "Yup. I was pretty good, too. Who knew I'd be making a living out of it."

                "Get some rest, Rem."

                Hank hated leaving his labs. It was only among the sterile tubes and constant whirring of the machines that he felt at ease. Teaching at the Institute was just a means to the end of getting access to all the cool shiny stuff. Then they brought that girl into his sanctuary.

                Hank looked longingly at the corner of the lab that Cece now inhabited. She actually hadn't been introduced to the lower levels yet, and was acting purely as the school's health advisor. He walked over to an experiment in the works.

                His pride and joy was a glob of blue substance that would stun the modern world. He was running tests on mice, and was almost ready for the final stage. His report was due at four o'clock to the United States government. Hank didn't care for people or politics. He did care about chemicals and scientific breakthroughs. If everything went according to plan, his experiment would be _the _breakthrough on chemical warfare. He whistled happily as he rolled up his sleeves to get to work.

                Xavier rubbed his eyes. These past few days had been hell. Not to mention, it had blown his schedule with the students totally out of the water. Some of the students -and staff- were far behind on their therapy sessions. He pulled up Scott's chart. It had been a couple of months since his last session, and Xavier was beginning to see the cracks in his training emerge. Marie had rescheduled her last two sessions, and even Bobby was acting strangely. Yes, things were falling apart—but not for long.

                "You wanted to see me, sir?" Scott said, taking the soft leather chair across from the desk.

                "Yes, Scott. It occurred to me that we haven't had a chat in quite some time. Please close the door."

                Emma Frost was playing in her room with her favorite doll. It was a fairy princess with long golden hair (like hers) and bright blue eyes (like hers). She created make-believe worlds that astounded and pleased her new parents. They had her tested for genius.

                "Who is that?" a friendly voice asked from the doorway.

                Emma turned to the pretty lady in her room. She gave her a shy smile as she moved from her kingdom back to plain old New Orleans.

                "Hi! D' y' wanna play wit' me? T'is is Jeannie. Are y' a stranger? I'm not 'posed t' talk t' strangers." A small frown marred her brow.

                "No, sweetie. I'm friends with the other Jeannie. Do you want to go visit her?"

                "Yeah! Can mommy come too?" Emma stood and walked over to her, happiness shining from her small face.

                "Not this time." Ororo reached for the little girl's hand and led her through the huge house to where Logan had the car running.

                Her nanny had been knocked unconscious and locked in the broom closet. Emma's disappearance made the six o'clock news.

                Remy looked over anxiously at Jean. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line and her knuckles were white from holding her hands in a fist.

                "Y' know t'at we're headin' head first int' a trap?" Emerald eyes shot sparks at him. "Jus' wanted t' be sure y' knew," he muttered.

                They were on a train heading up to Seattle. From there they would take a plane back to New York.

                "Those fucking bastards," Jean spat. "How dare they mess with Emma! She's a baby still. They are going to regret it!"

                Remy stayed silent. He knew better by now than to mess with Jean when she got this angry. Redheads. He was hoping to come through this unscathed. He was glad that they were going back to finish what they started, but now things were going to be – unpredictable.

                "Remy!" She was glaring at him.

                "What?"

                "We need to coordinate a trade. Pay attention!" Remy frowned at her.

                "Jean! Be quiet and calm down, and stop acting like a little brat!" he hissed, looking around. Nobody was paying attention, though. An old lady was snoring in the aisle.

                _Oh hell!_ Remy thought as Jean's wide eyes filled with tears. _Here we go._

                Jean turned stiffly away from him, eyes clearing up instantly. _Let him feel guilty for snapping at me!_ She began to plan.

                Remy stared at the back of her head and sighed. Flopping back against the seat, he thought of his contacts. Monet. Sam and Paige Guthrie. Where the hell is Jonothan Starsmore?

                1DaddysGrl1: Daddy never heard of the Xavier Institute.

                Aces4High: Have him inquire about it. 

                1DaddysGrl1: What r we looking 4?

                Aces4High: graduates. Money. U know, the important stuff.

                1DaddysGrl1: Careful, Rem.

                Aces4High: always, M.


	8. Into the Lion's Den

A/N: First off, I want to thank all the reviewers for this story. You guys make me feel so happy!! J Sandman: your continued presence on the reviews list is an inspiration to keep writing. I hope you update soon! Um, this chapter seems a bit fast paced to me, but I promise to make sure everything is explained. Any questions? Post them. I'm sooo close to finishing this story! 

                Ororo glared at the crying girl sitting beside her. Mothering instincts were foreign to her and she resisted the urge to slap the child.

                "Quiet, girl! Why are you crying?" She edged away from the child.

                "Y're a liar! Y' said I can see Jeannie!" Emma managed to glare up at Ororo as huge crocodile tears leaked down her face.

                "Jean is at my house. I told you that, child. Now be quiet." Emma frowned at her, assessing her words. She finally decided to give Ororo a little more time and began to explore the limo. She pushed all the buttons beside her.

                "Stop it!" It was going to be a long day.

                Emma smiled angelically while spinning the radio knobs. Ororo sat and glowered.

                Jean and Remy stood at the school's gates, waiting to be buzzed in. They stood hand in hand when the gates swung open. It was David vs. Goliath, the Yankees vs. the Mets. It was going to be a long shot if they were to succeed.

                Xavier walked slowly down the path, a smile plastered across his face, his hands fisted at his sides.

                "Welcome back. I hope your trip was good. I hear the weather in San Francisco is lovely this time of year." He clamped a hand on each of their shoulders and led them quickly to his office. Some of students snickered as they were marched across the property. 

                "Where is she?" Remy squirmed out of Xavier's grasp once the door was closed and glared at him. 

                "She's safe." He calmly walked around to the other side of his desk and settled into his chair. "And she will remain safe as long as you agree to a couple of base rules."

                Jean and Remy stood side by side, looking ready to take on the older man. "What d' y' want?" Remy gritted out.

                He simply smiled. "Erik was right. You came quickly enough."

                "T'at man stays away from us."

                "You listen closely, child. I am going to tell you what is going to happen. You will rejoin your classmates, you will say nothing about what happened in the time you were gone, you will obey the rules of this house." Xavier stood now, his eyes cold and hard. "Do not think that I will hesitate to deal with you with whatever it takes to bring you to heel."

                "T'at man stays away from us," Remy repeated evenly, not breaking eye contact with Xavier.

                "Stay above ground, and that should be no problem. Do you understand the terms?"

                Remy gave a curt nod.

                "Ororo, bring in the Frost girl and call the parents," Xavier said into the speakerphone.

                Jean had felt sick with every word that came out of Xavier's mouth. They weren't going to be handled gently anymore. She felt herself shaking slightly, half from exhaustion, half from fear.

                The door swung opened and a frazzled Ororo was dragging a skipping Emma through the door. The sight of the little blonde girl was enough to make Jean sit down. The pent-up breath came whooshing out.

                "Jeannie!" Emma squealed, running into her open arms. Jean grinned and enveloped Emma in a huge hug. Emma gave her a quick kiss on the nose, and giggled as Jean tugged on a curl. Emma then wriggled away from her and threw herself at Remy.

                "Remy!" He was a little surprised at finding Emma crawling all over him. Quickly taking control, he lifted her and balanced her on his hip. She buried her face in Remy's neck and played with his long auburn hair.

                "As you can see, she's fine. Her parents will come pick her up. The whole incident will be blamed on you, of course. But of course, they'll be forgiving because of your mental problems." Xavier looked amused as Emma trying to get Remy to listen to her. He was diligently trying to listen to Xavier and Emma at the same time. It was too much.

                "We don't have any mental problems."

                "That's not how I'm going to explain it." Remy scowled.

                "Jeannie, come take Emma up t' your room until her parents come," Remy said, his voice bland. Emma gave him a sticky kiss on his cheek, then skipped over to Jean and grabbed her hand. Jean gazed worriedly back at him, but moved quickly to get Emma out of the office.

                "Y' know what Jeannie? 'Ro let me watch TV in de car, an' I listened t' music and had ice cream. I had fun, but I wanna go home now. Will y' come wit' me? I miss y'." Emma was skipping down the hall, oblivious to the curious stares she elicited.

                "I miss you, too, Em. Come see my room. We're going to take a small nap." She pulled the little girl along quickly. Jean marveled over how much Emma had grown.

                Emma pouted briefly. "Okay. Then we can play? You can be the queen."

-------------------- 5 Years Ago --------------------

Jean was tugging on her hair, furiously thinking away out of her current dilemma. Ever since Aunt Carrie died and Emma came to live with them, Jean had been trying to figure how to get the little girl out of the dysfunctional home.

"Are you lost, little girl?" The pretty lady smiled down at her. Jean was sitting on the cans of soda, waiting for Remy to finish the grocery shopping.

"No, ma'am. I'm just waiting for my brother."

The lady had deep blue eyes that sparkled when she smiled. Her blonde hair hung straight down her back and white linen was draped across her body. Jean could tell that the lady was trying to look casual, but everyone could see the refinement in the way she held herself.

"Call me Sarah. It's nice your brother is shopping for your mama. I've always wanted a child." She sounded wistful and Jean felt sorry for her.

"You look like Emma. She has yellow hair and blue eyes, too," Jean said frowning. They had a baby, this lady wanted a baby. It seemed so simple.

"Who's Emma?" She took a seat next to Jean, ignoring the curious glances that were being thrown their way.

"My cousin. She's with Remy right now." Jean scooted a little closer to her. It seemed like forever since she'd had a woman to talk to. Jean began to ask a million questions to find out as much as she could.

"Jean, what are you doing?" Remy asked sharply, pulling her away from Sarah. 

"Just talking with Sarah. Are you all done?"

 Sarah looked surprised when she was introduced to Remy. She had been expecting someone older. She opened her mouth to ask them why they were alone with the baby, but Remy cut her off.

"We need to go now. Take Emma, Jeannie."

Sarah Frost watched as they sped to the checkout line and sighed.

"You need to be more careful about who you talk to. If they find out that Erik's only in the house a couple of days a week, they're going to take us away and split us up!" Remy scolded, putting the food into the fridge.

"I know, I'm sorry, but she was so nice." she paused. "I think we should consider her for Emma."

Remy was silent. He knew that they couldn't take care of her, but somehow Emma had wormed her way into his heart. It had taken him a while to consider finding another home for her. Erik chasing him through the house with a garden rake had helped speed that decision along. They had compiled a small list of potential adoptive parents. Remy was going to make a decision as quickly as possible.

"I'll check her out."

----------------------------------------

                Emma snuggled next to Jean and yawned delicately. A small nap would be okay. She ordered Jean to leave the lamp on, though. She was afraid of the dark.

                "You are out of options. You are out of deals," Xavier said, his voice cold. The door opened and the rest of the teaching staff walked in, followed by Erik and some people that seemed vaguely familiar. They surrounded Remy, their faces set.

                "This is Warren Worthington, the Third. He is head of Worthington Enterprises. They have been spotlighted in the media recently for their monetary support of presidential candidate, Graydon Creed. Sean Cassidy runs our senior school in England. He used to be head of security in the CIA. Raven Darkholme is the current president's aide. She was in Congress for the eight years prior to her current position."

                Since he didn't pay attention to politics, and since they didn't have a TV, Remy didn't care too much. Ignoring the others, he asked Xavier, "Impressive. What do you want from us? Once Emma is gone, there won't be anything left to use a leverage." He pushed down the panic he felt from the people crowding around him.

                "You know what I require. Just help us, and we'll help you. I know how hard it was trying to keep Jean safe. Now you don't have to worry. We'll take care of everything."

                Remy found himself lost in Xavier's eyes. He couldn't break away, and soon he found that he didn't want to.

                "Non. Y're doin' somethin'…" Remy closed his eyes and leapt toward Xavier, a cheap knife clutched in his grasp. Before he could cross the expanse of the desk, he found himself being held back by the others.

                "Now, Remy, this isn't at all what I had in mind." Xavier sounded amused. He grasped Remy's chin and made him look up at him. "Pay attention. We're going to go up and get the Frost girl. Her parents should be here any minute. Then you are going to tell your sister to behave. Now, drop the knife."

                Remy's mouth dropped open in shock as the knife fell from his fist. The more he stared into those sharp blue eyes, the more he forgot to be surprised. A minute more, he stopped struggling.

                "Come along."

                Jean looked at her brother, then back to Xavier. There was something strange in the way Xavier was smiling. And the way Remy didn't even glance toward Emma. She decided to find out what happened in the office later.

                "The Frost's are here. You will give Emma over, and then apologize for causing them grief. You have two minutes to say your good-byes." Xavier pushed Remy into the room and closed the door.

                "Remy?" Jean asked softly. His eyes seemed unfocused and he was trembling slightly. She lightly placed her hand on his arm. He turned to her.

                "Jeannie? We're supposed to be good now." His voice was faraway, as if he wasn't even aware he was speaking.

                "They drugged you!" Jean pulled him over to the bed and had him sit down. Remy lay down, and closed his eyes immediately. "Don't move from here. I'm going to give Emma back to the Frost's."

                "Y're 'posed t' apol'gize."

                "Okay," Jean soothed. She picked up the sleeping girl and started to leave the room.

                "We can't run anymore." His voice was sad and tired.

                Jean stared hard at him. "I'll be right back. Try to remember what happened."

                "Mommy!" Emma squealed, untangling herself from Jean to run to Sarah Frost. Jean felt a pang of loss as she looked from mother to daughter.

                "Thank you for bringing my baby back to me," Sarah gushed. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She ignored the hard looks from her husband. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask." She stared at Jean, looking for a sign.

                Jean opened her mouth to speak, but Xavier forestalled her.

                "Jean's father has enrolled her and Remy here to resume their studies." He didn't like the way Sarah was looking at Jean. At least her husband had the good sense to listen to him.

                "Come give me a hug goodbye, Princess," Jean said softly. Emma bounced to her and gave her a big hug and a wet kiss on the cheek. "Come see me again."

                "Where's Remy?" Emma demanded.

                "Upstairs resting. Remember, you said goodbye upstairs." Emma pouted, but went back to her mother. Jean watched as the small family left before running upstairs.

                "As you see, my method is full proof. Throughout the day, I will bring in some of my hardest clients and you can see for yourself how well it works." There was polite applause and Xavier smiled. He was so close to having it all. "For lunch we will retire to the lower levels and Hank will bring you up to date on the Legacy virus."

                "How long does it last?" Warren asked. He looked as if he had walked out of a catalog. His blonde hair perfectly swept back, his blue eyes had a mischievous look. It all belied the truly hard and cruel way he approached life.

                "That should last maybe an hour. The more sessions someone has, the longer it lasts. I will introduce some of the senior staff and they should enlighten you a bit more. Come now, let me lead you to the labs."

                "He did something to my mind. I don't remember much, but I was looking into his eyes, and they seemed to glow bright and I heard a voice that seemed to pound into my head, then nothing." Remy was pacing the room when Jean got up there. 

                "They'll be watching us like hawks now," Jean said, lying back on the bed. "Does M know what's going on, yet?"

                "No, but she's working on it. We just need to lie low for a little bit. Xavier messed with my head, and maybe he believes it would last longer than it did."

                "I don't like the idea of hanging around. Someone with that—skill—is exceptionally dangerous."  
                Remy sighed. "I know that, but like you said, we're being watched. We'll leave as soon as we can. Try to avoid being alone with that man. Otherwise, call me if you need me. I gotta go."

                "Stay out of trouble, Rem."

                "Always, Jeannie." He winked at her before exiting the room. Jean wasn't comforted by his agreement. She shook her head before racing after him. 

                Logan growled at the message left by Xavier. _Prepare section 023._ He hated going into that place. Something about it gave him the creeps. Or maybe it was the somebody.


	9. Friction

A/N: Getting down to it. Remy vs. Jean, a bit more with Xavier's plan, Scotty's coming around! Ah, I didn't really want to do it, but there's a floofy, cute scene with Rem and Marie. I expected a lot more to happen here, but c'est le vie. I can't wait to write the next chapter, it's going to be fun!! As always, tell me what you think! Review! Thanks!

                Kitty kept glancing into the hall. She heard that Jean was back, and when she finally showed, Kitty was determined to get to her first. That probably wasn't going to be too difficult because she was alone in the room.

                She was trying to concentrate on her chemistry homework, but her eyes kept sliding back to the door. She was so bored!

                "What are you doing?" Marie asked. She was at the windowsill, biting back a grin.

                "Nothing. What were you doing on the roof? You know Xavier warned us about that."

                "That's why I was on the roof. Everybody else would stay inside so they don't upset the great Xavier."

                "That's fine talk. He took you off the streets and gave you a home. You'd think that there would be a little appreciation!" Kitty sniffed. Some people just didn't know how good they had it.

                "You'd think." Marie said under her breath. She shrugged for Kitty's benefit and put on a chastened expression. "You're right, of course. Hey! When did they get back?"

                Remy was running past the door. Jean quickly followed on his heels.

                Marie and Kitty shared blank faces before taking off after them. The afternoon was looking up.

                "Scott, I'd like you to meet Warren Worthington." Xavier led Scott into the war room. It has been decorated festively. The people looking back at him made Scott very self-conscious.

                "Hello, Mr. Worthington." He looked to Xavier for some clue as to why he was there.

                "Scott, I wanted you to field some questions about the Institute." Xavier settled into a chair behind him.

                "Um, okay."

                "How are the children selected?"  Raven asked, smiling widely at Scott. She reminded him of a predator looking at her next meal.

                "We have a screening process that we put all of the children through. We give them an aptitude test and observe their problem solving methods. We keep a low profile so that the Institute sends out applications to those we desire."

                "But aren't there some children here that come from the streets?"

                "Yes. We were very fortunate that Xavier can spot talent." _Does that even make sense? He can look at a person and tell?_ "About 5% of our student body comes from low income homes or were saved from the streets. Xavier takes trips every three months to search out talent that we would otherwise miss."

                "How long does it take to determine where each child should concentrate their efforts? From entrance to graduation, how long does it take to get a cooperative student?" Sean Cassidy asked.

                "Unless they are previously trained, we determine what the student should study. Usually, we just go by class sizes, and what is available." _Except we change classes every term so the way we drop and add classes, there usually is only one place to put a new student._ "Most students here are willing and eager to learn. There are a few with problems, usually the ones from broken homes, that take some time to settle into the program. Xavier is a licensed psychiatrist, and he helps the kids get through some of the harder adjustments. It all depends on the child, but on average, we start training after a year."

                "That's quite impressive. How long have you been here?" Warren asked.

                "Since I was seven. I was a saved child."

                The guests exchanged a look that Scott didn't quite get.

                "Thank you, Scott. Would you please locate Marie and send her into my office?"

                The room was silent as Scott walked out. He glanced back once, then quickened his step. Suddenly, the thought of staying there for one more second sent chills down his spine.

                "Well, what do you think? After reading his file, can there be any doubt about how well this program works."

                "Like I told the boy, impressive. I think I will reserve my opinion until I see some more."

                Xavier gave a tight smile. "Let's go see if Hank is ready."

                "Hey! Wait!" Kitty yelled. It felt as if they'd been running forever. She struggled for breath. Marie was right behind her, and from the sound of it, not doing much better.

                Jean turned frowned. She better see what they wanted. Silently cursing Remy, she slowed.

                "What?" She couldn't hide the irritation.

                "Where are you going? Why is he running?" Kitty gasped out as she struggled to regain her breath.

                "I was following him. He should be running because once I get my hands on him, he's going to regret it!"

                "Are you back for good?" Marie asked, meeting Jean's eyes.

                "I think so. Our stepfather thinks it's for the best," Jean said with a sneer. Noticing Kitty's wide-eyed look, she smoothed her features down. "Anyway, I missed the cheesecake with the chocolate truffles."

                "So tell us about San Francisco! What happened?"

                Jean smiled as she began to weave the tale of their adventures. Marie and Kitty were soon hanging on every word. On every fictional word.

                Remy heard Jean falling behind. He wasn't really heading anywhere, but he needed to be alone. He waved at the surveillance camera that was following him. He fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette and sighed in relief as the nicotine invaded his body. He walked to the trellis and hoisted himself up to the roof. Jean was terrified of heights, so he was pretty sure she wouldn't bother him.

                "You know cigarettes aren't allowed on campus," Marie said, leaning back on her elbows. Remy lost some of his characteristic grace as he spun towards her, and immediately lost his footing on the slope. Marie watched him silently as he regained his composure. 

                Remy frowned at her, and then shrugged. He settled down beside her and offered her a cigarette, which she accepted. They were silent, watching the flags flap in the wind, the clouds roll by. 

                "Why did you come back?" Marie finally asked. She was staring at him intently. 

                Remy hesitated. He knew that she wasn't clueless to what was happening at the school, but how to explain.

                "I know if I ever left this place, I would start running and never look back. You couldn't get any farther than California. Why?!"

                "Why don' y' just walk away?" Remy asked simply. "The gates aren't locked in the day."

                Marie fumbled for the words. "I can't. Every time I get near the gates, something pulls me away. My mind floods with what is was like on the outside. I'm a coward. I can't go back to that."

                Remy scooted closer and covered her hand with his. She looked down and then slowly back to him.

                "Y're not a coward, Marie. I've seen what happens t' girls alone. That's why Jeannie an' me are here at all. I still can' decide if this is a curse or a blessing. I know that what they're doin' is wrong, but is it worth closing down? If it means goin' back t' the streets?"

                The wind picked up and Marie tentively leaned against him. Letting out a small breath when he put an arm around her shoulders, she turned towards him. "It's worth it. Did you ever figure out what happened to Jono?"

                "Who?"

                "Jonothan Starsmore."

                "No. I noticed that he was declared deceased wit'out a body. Weird case. Y' know what happened?"

                Marie sighed. "No. He was my best friend. I was hoping you knew. There was a fire and the gym fell in. Everyone got out except him, but when they cleared everything out, there was nothing there. They said that the fire simply incinerated him, but wouldn't there be bones or something."

                Remy ran his hand up and down her arm. Bright emerald eyes met his. He gently wiped away a tear with his finger.

                Jean fumed. She could see them on the roof, and she didn't like the ways things looked from the ground.

                "Jean! I've been wanting to talk to you," Scott said, pulling her into the school.

                She yanked her arm out of his grasp, and started walking away from him. She felt a deep sense of betrayal. She argued with herself, telling herself that Scott never agreed to help, never admitted that she was right. It hadn't helped.

                "Don't you have another little girl to kidnap? Some other student to put in a coma?" she said angrily. It was little louder than she intended, but the fact that other people were gathering didn't penetrate her focus.

                "You know that's unfair. WE didn't kidnap anybody. If I recall correctly, that was your fault! And what happened with your brother was an accident. We handled that appropriately. Anyway, that's not what I wanted to –"

                "I hate you! Everything that has gone wrong since we've been here has been your fault! You and that fucking Professor who has managed to brainwash everyone into thinking he's great! Stay away from me and stay away from my brother!" She was screaming. Xavier was frantically pushing his way through the crowds to reach her. 

                Scott stared at her in shock. All he wanted to do was see if she was okay and offer to help if there were any problems. Xavier caught his eye, and motioned for him to take Jean away from the crowd.

                "C'mon. Let's get out of this mess. You can yell at me in private." Jean gasped as she looked around her. _Shit! Remy was going to have a fit!_

                He hesitated. He didn't want to disappoint her if he was wrong, but it didn't seem fair to let her think her friend was dead.

                "I think I know where Jono is. If he's alive, I mean. There's a huge section underground that I think are used as holding cells."

                Marie wiped her face with her sleeve. She wanted to believe him. He looked so sincere, but there had been so many disappointments.

                "Are you sure?"

                "Nope. But I can find out." He winced as he remembered the harsh instructions Xavier gave them earlier. Stay above. Still, for the look on Marie's face he would have walked through purgatory itself.

                "Can I go?"

                "No. I have to plan it very carefully. You have to go on like you've been doing. I know Jeannie's been talking to you. I told her not to, but that girl is stubborn. Just stay out of trouble."

                She was in trouble. Of that, there was no doubt. Scott lad her to her room and stood against the door. He was studying her. She was sitting on the bed, knees pulled up to her chest. She clutched her pillow like a shield.

                "I'm not going to hurt you, you know," he finally said. It bothered him, this irrational fear.

                "I know." Her voice was doubtful, her stance unaltered. "What's he going to do?"

                "Who? Xavier? He's not going to hurt you either. He'll probably just want to talk about how you got all these strange ideas in your head. Don't worry." His smile made her feel a little better. He clearly believed everything he said.

                A knock sounded and Jean tensed. Scott gave her a curious glance before opening the door to admit Xavier. He then went to stand next to Jean.

                "What happened in the hall, Miss Grey?" The questioned was asked pleasantly asked, but Jean detected the threat in the tone.

                "I got mad at Scott," she said, her voice scarcely above a whisper. Scott looked down at her, worried. He placed a hand on her shoulder. He was surprised when she turned to his side. He answered Xavier's questioning glance with a shrug.

                "So the entire house heard." She flinched. "What do you think we should do about this incident?"

                "I don't know, sir. I'm sorry."

                Xavier smiled. This one was clearly not the problem. "I have an idea. Why don't you attend dinner tonight with Scott? That way the students will see that you two have settled your problems."

                Jean almost sighed in relief, but caught it in the last second. "Yes sir. Will you tell Remy for me?"

                "Of course dear." As soon as the door closed, Jean pushed away from Scott. She raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "Check your computer. Now, get out." She jumped up to get ready for her next target.

                Her eyes followed his every move. He was staying as far away from her as possible. Jean's lip curled into a snarl as she watched Logan put Jubilee through the paces.

                "So what's going on, Jeannie?" Remy murmured in her ear. He was dressed in work clothes, all form fitting and black, and his hair pulled back from his face.

                "I can explain, just not now," she hissed. He wasn't supposed to be here. Ever since Logan took back his self-defense classes, Remy had been exempt.

                "Jean, I told you to lay low. I told you to toe the line…"

                "I know that. I messed up. You know that I'm usually good about doing what you tell me…"

                "Break into pairs!" Logan's voice rang out.

                Jean narrowed her eyes and faced a grim Remy. He gave a slight bow and waited for Jean to get ready.

                "Go!"

                Block. Block. Jab. Their movements were fluid, block meeting each attack. Remy was the stronger of the two, but Jean was fairly innovative. She kicked out towards his ribs, easily ducking under the arm that flew at her. Remy sidestepped the kick and flung the heel of his hand at her chin. She flipped backwards, missing the blow, but a well-placed leg sent her sprawling across the floor. She quickly rolled back onto her feet and went on the offensive. She managed to throw Remy off-balance, but there was no time to gloat over that. Remy quickly took back the upper hand, throwing a barrage of blows at her that Jean could only hope that luck was on her side. 

                The whole class had stopped the exercise to watch Remy and Jean spar. Logan was watching in amazement at the vast amount of experience they showed.

                Remy was concentrating hard on challenging Jean, but not actually hurting her. He was surprised and pleased with her skill. Still, he planned to beat her.

                Jean's arms were screaming in pain, but she remained steadfast. He was slowly backing her into the wall. The crowd parted as the came close. Timing it just right, Jean pushed off from the wall, crashing right into Remy. He easily rolled away from her and came up smiling.

                "Pretty good, Jeannie, just not good enough."

                She lunged at him, making her first big mistake. He easily threw her off balance, sending her to the floor. As soon as she hit, he lightly rested his foot against her throat.

                "You lose." His eyes bored into hers. She sighed and nodded her defeat. He helped her up and gave her a look.

                "Yes, I should have thought things through before flying off the handle. We need to be extra careful, and I totally disregarded that. I'm sorry." She was gritting her teeth by the time she reached the end.

                "Was that so hard? When you can beat me, then you get to be right." They were scarcely speaking at all. Everyone was leaning in, trying to hear what was being said. Remy looked around, and then raised his voice.

                "How did I beat y'?"

                "You made me mad. I let emotion take over self-control. I made a mistake." Jean said immediately. A light blush colored her cheeks as she realized that was what happened earlier as well.

                "Y' did good, petite." He gave her a grin and sauntered out of the gym. Jean became uncomfortably aware of the stares that were now focused on her.

                "That's not stuff you learn on the streets," Logan said quietly.

                Jean smiled sweetly. "That was what you were showing in class a couple weeks ago. We didn't want to show off by doing anything hard."

                "Where the fuck are the kids files?!" Logan yelled. He was tearing through the file room and had been for the last hour.

                "I can't get them on the computer either," Ororo called back from the control room. "They've completely disappeared from the data banks."

                Xavier was calmly sitting in the war room, silently thankful that his guests had all retired to their rooms already. A pensive frown marred his smooth face. "That's impossible. Only I have clearance to change the files."

                "They're not here," Ororo repeated, irritation tingeing her tone.

                Xavier put his head in his hands. Things were not going smoothly. "What do you need the files for?"

                "Those fucking kids are pulling a fast one on us. They know stuff. They were executing perfect forms. Where do you that on the streets, huh? That book Remy's always carrying around? It's written in Latin!"

                Hank looked interested. "There were a few times when were following them that we lost track of them for a couple of months."

                "And they learned martial arts, Latin, and differential equations in that time?" Logan sneered.

                "Well, they did test at genius and they stayed in a library. That's probably where they learned a lot of the things they know," Scott said softly. "I think the girl is a hacker, the boy is the executer."

                Xavier peered up at him. "What makes you say that?"

                "Just a feeling," Scott mumbled. _Actually, it was a really weird message on my computer._

                The room fell silent. The homogenous whirring of the computers were the only sounds in the room.

                "Bring Erik to me." Xavier said. His steely blue eyes were hard, his lips pressed into a thin line as determination etched itself onto his face. He has never failed to break a child, to get his way. He would be damned if it would happen now!


	10. Temperature Rising

A/N: Thank you to everybody who reviewed my story. Sorry for the wait. This is pretty fast-paced with no real resolutions. I promise I'll answer all questions! Please review!

                Loyalty. Trust. Justice. The words ran through his head. Scott Summers stared at the computer screen, but didn't really see it. He had been there for an hour, just thinking, trying to make sense of the images that invaded his mind.

                Loyalty. He had been loyal to Xavier all his life. Xavier had been there for him when nobody else was. Xavier gave him a roof over his head, food in his stomach. More than that, he had given Scott a reason to be. Scott existed to help Xavier help kids like him. It made him feel wanted. It made everything good again. He owed his life to the man. It seemed so little to give back, his loyalty.

                Trust. He smiled ruefully. He still had never felt this, never believed it existed. He never had a connection with anyone. His coworkers were friendly, nice people, but they seemed like a different sort of people. Even Xavier. Though he admired him, Xavier always held himself above everything, everybody else. Xavier didn't require trust, only obedience. Scott's eyes narrowed. Now he knew why.

                One the computer screen was this information:

Alex **Summers**                                        Age: 25                                  Residence: San Diego, CA

Father, Christopher: deceased                Born: 2/18/54

Mother, Andrea: deceased                               Born: 5/12/55

Brother, **Scott**: deceased                               Born: 7/11/78

            Justice. Now he understood this. He would see justice done. Who was in the wrong, though? What was the whole truth? Scott vowed to find out as he stared at the face that was so close, yet not quite his.

                He needed someone to yell at. His position as head of the Institute didn't allow for much in the way of personal expression, but underground, there was no need for propriety.

                "You wanted to see me, Xavier?" Erik drawled out, strolling into the war room. He was wearing a silk suit, his silver hair styled to perfection. He dropped lazily into a chair across the long table.

                "I – no – you have a problem. You see, your children have caused more problems in one week then I've had since the program's inception," Xavier said in a harsh tone. The casual indifference that Erik showed was driving him crazy.

                "I told you that they were disobedient children. They always did what they wanted, didn't matter what their betters said." Erik's voice turned plaintive. Xavier wanted to smack that whining mouth. He sneered at the man.

                "When did you start abusing Jean?"

                Erik started. He lost his smile and sat a little straighter. "I only hit the girl when she deserved it. The little brat had no discipline."

                "That's not what I meant," Xavier said steadily. Erik wilted slightly.

                "I don't remember. Shortly after Lily died. Right before they left." Xavier didn't bother to hide the look of disgust that crossed his face. Erik wasn't ashamed, only cautious.

                "You do realize that by pushing them out of the house, it was extremely hard to get them here and it is going to be even harder to get them to stay! They know things they shouldn't. They are not malleable!" He was yelling now, his chest heaving with every breath. Erik tried to look contrite, but couldn't quite pull it off. Xavier, at a loss for words glared at the man, fuming.

                Jean and Remy were trying to be perfect students. They followed the rules, they kept quiet, and they were biding their time. At lunch, they sat alone, silent.

                "Before you hear about this later and get mad at me, I left a little message for Scott," Jean said quietly, nibbling at the roast beef sandwich. Remy rolled his eyes.

                "I don't understand why you think he's going to help us. He's been with Xavier his entire life."

                "I have a feeling…" She cut off at the sight of a very angry Scott Summers stalking across the dining hall. "Of course, I could be wrong."

                Remy glared at her as he moved aside to make room for Scott.

                "Why the fuck would you do that?" he hissed. He was so angry his voice shook.

                "Just thought you should know. I found it on the Internet. Do a search, Scott Summers, and see what you find if you think I'm making it up. If you find you believe me, come to the library at eight tonight. We'll talk. If you still don't believe me, then I'll say I'm sorry," Jean said calmly, pitching her voice low.

                He looked uncertain. "I've been getting these feelings…" He abruptly stood up and stared down. "I'll be expecting my apology tonight. You better make it good."

                They watched as he practically ran from the room.

                "You better know what you're doing," Remy said, lowering his head into his arms.

                "You feel it too. Plus, we need someone higher up on our side."

                Marie was bouncing her knee nervously as she waited in Xavier's office. She'd been there for fifteen minutes when he finally bustled in.

                "What are – ? Oh, Marie, I'm going to have to reschedule." He fumbled in his desk, then quickly left. 

                She smiled widely. Finally her head was beginning to clear. Soon she would be out of this place.

                Xavier hurried up to the guest rooms, where he ran into Warren.

                "Oh, good. The Chief of Security has moved the meeting up, so if you could head downstairs, we will present the Legacy Virus." He quickly informed the other members and left quickly to get things settled.

                They were getting ready to leave the cafeteria and head to class. Jean pulled on Remy's jacket.

                "What?"

                "I had a dream last night?" Remy stared at her silently.

                "And you're just telling me now?! What happened?"

                Jean shuddered as the pictures fixed themselves in her mind. "It was all jumbled up. Just pictures really. There was a cell. You were screaming, but no sound came out. I was trapped in a maze. A mummy was on fire. I kept seeing you, but couldn't reach you. Eric held me on a leash. Blood dripping from the sky like rain."

                "That sounds more abstract than usual." He led her to the foot of the stairs and they sat back to back on the bottom step. His voice was serious, intense. He knew her dreams all meant something. Sometimes the images were real, other times just a metaphor. Always deadly accurate.

                "I know." She put her hand over his and squeezed tight. Pretty soon all the halls cleared, and it was just the two of them alone in the immense hall. As Xavier looked down, a small smile played on his mouth. They looked so small. They were nothing. He was, after all, master of the house.

                Erik watched the security screens intently. He had been furious when Xavier told him that he was confined to the lower levels. Oh, he knew not to argue with him. Even when they were young, Xavier didn't take well to being contradicted. But Erik was used to getting what he wanted. Silently he watched the video surveillance of the main hall staircase.

                Logan was watching them across the hall. Remy and Jean hadn't moved from the spot on the bottom of the stairs. Logan didn't like them. He absolutely hated surprises. He remembered the time when he met Xavier. His superior had put them together, and from there his future took off. They were both shrewd, calculating assholes intent on vaulting to the top. This little scheme turned into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, something that kept the usually mobile Logan in one place. Well, maybe not for long.

                Marie was nervous. She had a pass to get off grounds to tour the local college campuses. The small group of students would be out all day, unsupervised. She sighed as she ripped off the black turtleneck and settled on a soft pink blouse. Her hands were shaking. It's been so long since she'd been in the real world. She wondered if it had gotten any kinder.

                "Come on, Marie. The cabs are here!" Theresa yelled into the room as she ran past.

                _Well, here we go_, she thought as she ran out of the room.

                Remy and Jean watched the kids run out the main doors to the line of cabs outside the gates. Finally, they would be alone. Since they were in the upper division classes and most of those students were gone, they had no class.

                "What are we going to do with all this extra time?" Jean said, a slight smile on her lips.

                "I have a- um, project going on. I'll meet up with you later."

                "Wait a second there, Rem. What are you doing?"

                "I'm just going to check something out. I'll stay out of trouble." He put on his best smile, hoping furiously she wouldn't call him out on his lie. 

                Jean cocked her head. He was going to be stubborn, she could tell. "Uh huh. Well, I'll see you later then."

                Remy squeezed her shoulder as he got to his feet. "Love ya, Jeannie."

                She smiled. "Love ya too, Rem."

                There she was. Marie stared at the vision all in black before making her feet move forward. The girl was busy working on her laptop as Marie walked up to her.

                "Do you have the disks?" M demanded, not bothering to look up. She hated dealing with anyone but Remy. 

                "Uh huh," Marie said with a sinking heart. There was no way Remy could like her compared to this girl. She fumbled in her pockets for the disks.

                Monet finally looked at her. Rich, chocolate brown eyes looked her over from head to toe.

                "Did you want something?" Monet said, meeting Marie's eyes.

                Marie felt her temper rising. _Who does this girl think she was anyway? _Marie shook her head and headed away.

                "Hey!" Monet called out. "Tell Remy that he better not go back to check on that Starsmore kid. It means some big trouble for both him and Jean if he does."

                Marie nodded, ice spreading through her body. "Okay, I'll tell him." _Shit!_ She started to walk a little faster. It was all her fault.

                Jean was stalking the halls. With all the older kids gone into the City, the halls were eerily empty. 

                "What do you think yer doing?" Logan growled. He was watching her as she studied the doors to the dorm rooms and the windows at the end of the hall.

                "Checking to make sure the building is fire safe. What are you doing? I thought you went into the City." Jean continued to look over the building, totally ignoring him.

                "I decided that I was needed here. I don't believe you. What are you doing?" He tensed as Jean moved closer to him.

                "I heard that a long time ago there was a fire and some kids got stuck in the building. I'm just checking things out. Luckily for you guys, everything seems to be up to code." She started moving towards the main staircase.

                "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

                "I don't. I looked on the Internet. Amazing what you can find out. You can find anyone. Even the people who don't want to be found. How did a former spy come to run a school?"

                He grabbed her arm and jerked her around to face him. "Information could be dangerous, little girl. Since you've obviously found out what you could about me, you know my talent for makin' people disappear."

                "Like what happened to Jonothan Starsmore and Franklin Richards?"

                "At the very least. Xavier put a safety net around you two, but he doesn't run the whole show. One day soon yer gonna wake up and find yerself in a never ending nightmare." He smiled grimly as he slowly walked away.

                "Not if I can get you first," Jean said under her breath.

                "Welcome ladies and gentlemen. Today I'm going to show you what the Legacy Virus can do for this country," Hank said, barely able to stop from hopping from one foot to the other. On the huge screen against the wall, a complex series of compounds scrolled down. "Basically, it will affect people on a genetic level, changing each person differently. The government will use it on our people, to change them in ways never conceived before."

                Hank then brought out a jar that contained a bright blue liquid and placed it on the empty table beside him. "Just a cup of this will give the drinker powers never before experienced. Just a cup of this, and we will be unstoppable."


	11. Coming Together

A/N: I feel so bad that it's taken so long to get this chapter out (and that it's so short). Please tell me if you like where this is going. Probably will conclude next chapter, which hopefully will come out in a more timely manner (but don't hold your breath). Thank you all for staying with this story and continuing to review!

Hank stared at the door as the last of the guests left. The meeting had gone very well and so far everything seemed to be right on track. The government was very interested into pursuing the product – provided that there was conclusive evidence that it actually worked.

"I think that went rather well, don't you?" Xavier asked, eyeing Hank speculatively. 

"Absolutely. I can't wait to further pursue the project. It sounded like they wanted tests. Human tests." He didn't know if he was more excited or scared. So much rode on the outcome of this.

"Yes. How close are we to that stage?"

"Very close, Xavier. Very close."

Cece smiled at Jean as the girl sidled into the room. It seemed as if a lot of work had been piled on her immediately after accepting the position. She hadn't seen Remy or Jean since her first day.

"Hi Jeannie. What's going on?"

"Nothin'.Do you like working here?" Jean went and sat next to her. The medical equipment all around her made Jean grit her teeth.

"Sure I do. It's a lot different than the ER, but I get to know the people I work with. It's nice seeing a familiar face." Cece absently pushed back a stray strand of hair that had fallen into Jean's face.

"Do you remember when we left? You said if we ever needed anything, you'd help us."

"I remember. You two…puzzled me. I missed you guys after you left."

"We need your help." There was no time for subtlety any more.

Remy was sweating. He managed to get down to the lower labs without tipping anybody off. Now he found himself trapped in a closet – with the most amazing news he could have dreamed for. He watched the entire meeting from a vent. He knew how to bring the Xavier Institute to its knees. All he needed was a little luck.

But right now there was a different goal in his mind. All he needed to do was get into the heavily watched section 023. That would lead him to answers concerning Jonothon Starsmore. 

"Honey, I don't think you know what you are saying. There is no way that Xavier would do such a thing." Cece's dark brown eyes stared into Jean's. 

"I know that it sounds strange, but believe me. Just check it out for yourself. See if what I say is true. Please." She knew that Jean would get her way. The little girl always did with her.

"All right, Jeannie. I'll look into it, but don't expect me to cave without strong evidence. You go on and get back to your room now."

Jean nodded solemnly though she felt like jumping joy. There might be a way out of this mess after all.

Jean was staring at the doorway when Scott finally made an entrance two hours later. Her hands were clutched together and her face looked pale in the harsh lamp light.

"Where's Remy?" he asked, looking around the empty room.

Jean just shook her head. She barely glanced up at Scott, her eyes focused on the doorway.

"Jean, look at me," he said firmly. He grasped her chin in his palm and slowly forced her to look up at him. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know…" Her voice faded out as she glanced towards the door. Cece came barreling in.

"How did you know? Why didn't he tell me?" she yelled. Jean blinked before ignoring the women. If she kept watching for him, he would come.

"You don't know where Remy is, huh?" Scott said softly. Jean slowly shook her head at him. "He didn't tell you where he was going and you can tell something went wrong." A nod.

Cece looked back and forth between the two. "What is going on at this school?"

Remy looked between the two men. Xavier and Eric were arguing furiously out in the hall. He tore his eyes away from the small window mounted in the door and looked at the young man sitting in the corner of the cell.

He looked a little older than Remy, with light brown hair and brown eyes. He was watching the door like a hawk. He had a dingy wrap wound around the bottom half of his face. It disappeared into the neckline of his shirt. He gave a pitying look to Remy when Xavier had first thrown him into the room, but had ignored him since.

Remy crept to the door and tried to flatten himself against the wall next to it. Claustrophobia was beginning to set in. He didn't think that he could stand to be in there for very much longer. Eric peered into the room.

"He's near the door. Little bastard tried that on me once, knocked me to the ground," he said to Xavier, his mouth curled into a sneer.

"Get ready to grab him. I'm going to take him to the Box for a while."

"Then what?"

"Jonothon would probably appreciate the company." 

Scott let Cece take Jean upstairs while he went down to the labs. He promised the girl that he would look for her brother, though he honestly didn't know what he would do if he found Remy there. It's not as if Xavier would just let him waltz back out.

He walked quickly down to the security room and accessed the cameras around the mansion. He quickly assessed that Remy wasn't anywhere above grounds. _Well, hell._ He took off towards the containment area.

Jean couldn't keep still. She sensed Remy and knew he was in trouble. She feared it had something to do with her dream, but that had been so vague. The worst thing was that she didn't know what to do.

"Jean! Thank God you're here! Where's Remy," Marie said, her voice filled with panic.

"I don't know where he is." She looked Marie up and down. There was guilt written across her face. "What do you know? Where is he?!"

Marie winced at the fury in Jean's voice. "Well, I'm not sure, but I think he went downstairs to check on something."

"Explain."

Marie quickly told her about the conversation she had with Remy on the roof. And what Monet told her.

"Holding cells. Great." That explained why she felt Remy's panic. She had to tell Scott somehow.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know."

"You just better hope that Remy comes back up." Jean ran out of the room, intent on hunting down Scott. "Leave the disks in the book!"

Marie shivered in spite of herself. Even though she was much bigger than Jean, she didn't for a second doubt that the girl would follow through on the threat. And that she would seriously be in trouble.

Scott watched through the two-way mirror into the interrogation room. Remy was stalking around the perimeter, running his hands lightly over the walls. Xavier was sitting casually in the center of the room, Eric standing at his side. There was a small trickle of blood running down Remy's face. He rubbed at it unconsciously, ignoring the men to concentrate on finding a way out. Scott could see the strain on his face as he fought the well of panic and fear.

"Now Remy, why did you come to visit Mr. Starsmore? Nobody at the school surely remembers him." Xavier said pleasantly. He seemed to be pleased at seeing Remy stalk like a caged animal.

"Didn' care 'bout the boy. Wanted t' see the room."

"Tsk, tsk. We cannot have you lying to us. Do you want to get out of here?"

Remy nodded stiffly. On and on he paced. "Saw his name in the files. Saw the article on the 'Net. No body. Weird stuff."

"That's better. Why did you think he was still here?"

"Last time I was down here, I saw pipes going in. Heard water working." Remy could hear his blood pounding in his ears.

Scott found himself pressing against the glass. _Come on, Remy!_

"Did you tell anybody? Jean?"

"No. She'd get mad at me for coming down here."

"I don't believe you, Remy. Who else knows?" Eric tightened his hands into fists, a small smile on his lips. Remy glanced at him warily, but kept going.

"Logan knows." That obviously surprised Xavier.

"And?"

"T'at's it." His accent kept fading in and out. Scott hoped he could last a while longer. Once they left Remy alone, he could get him out. He just had to bide his time and hope Remy would hold up through the interrogation.

"What if I sent Eric to bring Jean down here? Would she tell me something different?" He made a mistake there. Remy fought a smile.

"My Jeannie wouldn' tell y' anyt'ing different."

Logan was staring down at his bed. It was covered with clothing and papers. He was trying to decide what was important and what he was going to leave. Two packed bags were sitting in the closet. He had lived long enough to know when to cut your losses. He felt something big was going to happen, and he knew that he didn't want to be in the center of it.

_Should I tell 'Ro?_ He wondered absently. _Nah. It would only complicate things._ He would leave tomorrow. His plane ticket to Tokyo was tucked into his wallet.

Cece was busy. Jean had poked her head in and told her to take a look at the disks that were tucked in the dictionary (under _information_). She wondered what the heck she was supposed to do with them. As soon as she read through the pages of research and theory, she knew what she had to do. She called Trish Tilby.

Marie was busy too. She got on instant messaging.

unTouchable1: I was 2 late

1DaddysGrl1: shit. Trouble?

unTouchable1: yup. Call in the troops?

1DaddysGrl1: R and J never used 2 b this sloppy

unTouchable1: just do it!

1DaddysGrl1: k. I'll e-mail u with updates.

unTouchable1: thx. Bye

She hoped it was going to be in time.

He was practically whistling as he swept down the halls. Finally, his patience had paid off. Eric nodded at the students he passed, smiling politely at the young girls who looked up at him. He was told she was in her room. He paused at the halls entrance and began to count doors. Yes, his baby girl was finally going to be his once again. He knocked once and then pushed the door open.

"Can I help you?" The young girl barely glanced up from the computer on her desk.

"Is Jean here? Xavier requested an audience with her." His frustration was barely held in check.

"She just left." Marie stared in wonder at the man whose pale face was beginning to turn bright red. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you." Eric closed the door. The little bitch was always making things difficult for him. So, first a chase. He could live with that. Eric took off at a run.


	12. Undercover

 A/N: Okay, I really intended for this to be the last chapter, but someone mentioned that it seemed a bit rushed – and I agreed after re-reading it. So hopefully this is a little better. If you want, call this ch 12 part 1 J. The others will come out soon. I'm already through a good part of the next part. As always, tell me what you think please!!!

                Remy closed his eyes and tried to take deep breaths. The gray walls seemed to be getting closer and closer together and it was driving him mad. He tried talking to Jono, but the boy had that wrap around his mouth. He tried thinking of happy things, anything to keep his mind off of his predicament.

-----------A few years ago----------

                "Hey mister, can you help me?" the young boy asked, his hands clasped behind his back. He wore such a solemn look for someone who couldn't be any older than four.

                "What's wrong, lil one?" Remy said, amused. He had been sitting on the bench, watching the older men play chess. He knelt down to the little boy's height.

                "I can' get my kite up!" He pouted as he considered his problem. "My mommy is watching the baby and told me to quit pesterin' her."

                Remy smiled. "Well, it just so happens that I am an expert kite flyer."

                Within minutes, the kite was soaring across the sky and Remy was watching the little boy giggle as he shifted the string and made it dance in the sky.

----------------------------------------

                "So free," he whispered as he sank to the ground.

                Jono was trying to figure out what the boy was in for. It was the first time in years since he had seen Xavier. He still hated the son of a bitch. Maybe this new boy could shift the power. Maybe he would finally feel the sun on his face again. Maybe.

                "Where the fuck is Logan?" Xavier snarled. He was fast losing his cool. He stalked around his study, a glass of straight whiskey in his grasp. The Institute's staff gazed at him warily and remained silent. They had never seen him so coldly furious.

                "I do not know, sir," Ororo said softly. She had been coping for the past couple of days after finding Logan's room packed up. The self-pity had morphed into anger very quickly. She was more then eager to help find him. Xavier would happily let Ororo take care of the man if they ever found him. He knew deep down that they never would.

                "What about Jean Grey? She couldn't have simply walked out without anyone noticing! What the fuck is going on here?!"

                Hank and Scott exchanged glances. Their little world was fast crumbling away. Hank was thinking that it didn't matter what happened to the school, he had his other project to worry about. Scott was thinking that he was glad he got Jean out before Xavier got his hands on her.

                Xavier eyed each one of his staff carefully. Ororo was both wary and stressed. She sat straight and tall in her chair, but there were lines around her eyes and her jaw was clamped tight. Finding that Logan had flown the coop had turned her emotions all topsy-turvy, which meant that the whole school was stepping lightly around her. Hank clearly had other things on his mind. Xavier's hand actually quivered as he walked by him. But he needed Hank. He needed his brain, his research. He was looking forward to when he could toss the man out on his head. Maybe that would bring him out of the clouds. Finally he studied Scott. His pride and joy. The man he molded from boyhood. He couldn't read a thing in Scott's damnedly smooth face. Twenty-odd years and Xavier should have been able to read him like a book. The only thing that gave any type of emotion away was the drumming of his fingers lightly on the table. Worried? Impatient? Xavier wished he knew.

                "The last topic we need to discuss is Remy LeBeau. As you know, he is a source of constant trouble that has turned this school into an uproar. I felt that it was necessary to confine him until I feel he is ready to assimilate back into the student population. I spoke to Dr. Essex, who was quite interested in the boy, and he agrees to give us some time to properly train the boy." Were his eyes deceiving him, or did Scott look disapproving? It couldn't be that. Scott never disapproved off anything he told him.

                "Where is he now?" Scott strained to keep his voice neutral.

                "In a safe place. Back to Logan. I want all of our operatives notified of his defection. I want to know where he is within the week. Scott, you take care of the national web, Ororo, take overseas. Hank, I need you to speed up the testing of your project. I want that ready in two weeks. Any questions?"

                "What about Jean Grey?" Xavier frowned for a second. There was really so much to do.

                "We're not going to worry about her. She was not the real threat. It would be nice to have her to help persuade Remy to behave, but we're not going to concentrate on the girl. Let her die in a ditch for all I care." He watched with satisfaction as his entire staff nodded. Finally, he was back in control.

                Scott sat a bit longer while the room emptied. He was glad that Xavier didn't consider Jean a threat. It was a stupid thing to do, but it would make things a lot easier. The problem was how to get to Remy.

                Cecelia was meeting a friend for lunch. She resisted the urge to glance at her watch for the third time. If she knew Trish, she would be a good half hour late. The woman was never on time. At the very least, she was glad to be off of the school campus. Things have been weird lately. She could feel eyes on her every move.

                "Hi Cece! It's been years, hasn't it?" The news reporter breezed into the room, walking as if she owned the world. Long black hair dangled down her back in a loose ponytail.

                "Did you read the stuff I sent you?"

                Trish laughed. "You haven't changed a bit, have you? Always straight to the point." 

                Cece stared back at her, waiting for her answer. The women had a strange history. Total opposites, they had been thrown together in college as roommates. Trish, the popular one, and Cece, the studious one. With more fights than any other pair in the dorm, they managed to keep in touch once they were able to live apart.

                "Well?"

                "Yes, I read it through. Three times, truth be told. It was very interesting." Watching Trish settle down to business was a shock. She pretended to be a flighty airhead to get ahead in an industry that still prized women primarily for their looks. Then she used her brain to stay there.

                "I realize that there are chunks missing, but what is there could be pretty devastating to the Institute," Cece said, slumping in her seat a bit. At least Trish didn't laugh in her face. There was some hope.

                "Where did you get this information?"

                "From the school. I work there now." Trish raised her eyebrows. "This isn't some spite towards the school. It's the prep school I attended when I was younger. I was just poking around in some files, and it all fell together."

                "I'm really interested in the mind control aspect. Do you think you were controlled? I sent an assistant to dig up information on the subject. No, I didn't tell him why," Trish said quickly, seeing that Cece was getting ready to lash into her.

                "Not until I came back. I left the ER for Xavier."

                "Hmmm. Well I need to get back. If you find anything more, send it along. Bye!"

                "Yeah, bye." Well, that was one thing done. Cece paid her bill, then quickly headed back to the school. She had a meeting with Scott at two.

                Marie was in the copy room in the library. Her notebook was open and organic chemistry notes and homework were spread across the desk. In her hand, however, were two manila folders. She had been slowly copying all of the material that Scott left in her drawer. She ignored the nagging feeling that someone was watching her.

                Everything was happening too fast. Remy gone, then Jean. She had been all alone for so long. Then she let him in and now her world was topsy-turvy. And he was gone. A single tear escaped and slid down her cheek. 

                Jean was practically tearing down the walls. She agreed with Scott that the best thing would be for her to get out of the Institute. She hadn't counted on the feeling of absolute uncertainty and helplessness that overwhelmed her. She was told to wait until everything was clear. She was to stay out of sight.

                "Jean? Scott wants to talk to you on the phone," Monet said, sticking her head into the room. She was worried at the younger girl's pale complexion. She yelled at Scott earlier, ordering him to speed things up. She knew that it had done little good, save allowing herself to vent.

                Jean dragged herself down the hall and picked up the phone in the office. "Hello."

                "How are you holding up?"

                "I'm going insane. Between feeling Remy in my head and actually being confined, I feel like I need to break something." Her voice was wavering on the phone. Scott winced on the other end.

                "Hang in there, Jean. Logan defected and Hank is developing some super secret project. Cece is getting in touch with her contacts and Marie is working with me to put together evidence. It shouldn't be too much longer."

                "Remy?"

                Scott paused. "I know where he is. He was right. There is a holding cell in section 023. It now holds Jonothon Starsmore and your brother. I'm working on getting him out, but Xavier takes care of that himself."

                "Keep him safe, Scott. Please."

                "I promise, Jean."

                _How interesting_, Eric thought. _Xavier's little boy scout has plans of his own. _He was monitoring the phone systems on campus. Not because it was his job. In fact, he didn't think that Xavier knew there were taps in the phones. No, he was monitoring the phones because he knew that Jean would never leave her brother. She had to talk to somebody. Eric hummed as the address from the other line came through.

                He couldn't understand this need to get a hold of his stepdaughter once again. There have been many females in his life, and he never had any use for them once he had a taste of what they had to offer. But her long red hair kept flashing in his mind. And her clear green eyes gleaming with tears. And her thin, pale body. He had to have her again, if only to rid himself of these images that haunted him. Jean was so much like her mother.

                The address was in a very rich neighborhood. He couldn't understand how Jean had gotten into the upper crust of society, but no matter. Upper class or lower class, Eric would work his charm and get what he wanted. He always did in the end.

                Ororo watched Scott pace the hallway. She hadn't been paying attention too much of anything since Logan left, but now Scott caught her curiosity. She walked up to her old friend.

                "What is wrong?" She couldn't put very much feeling into the question, which caught her by surprise. She felt she should at least sound as if she cared.

                Scott jumped at her question. "'Ro. I didn't hear you. How are you doing?"

                She grimaced. "Fine. What are you pacing for?"

                "I'm waiting. Marie promised to have her report in by now." As if on cue, the girl ran into view. "Finally. I'll talk to you later 'Ro."

                Ororo walked away a little dazed. It seemed she just couldn't quite grasp what was going on. _Damn the man!_

                Scott and Marie waited until Ororo walked away. 

                "Here are the schedules I got so far. It seems that everyone I talked to had a session at least once a month. I still have to talk to the lower classes. I think that they'll probably have sessions more frequently." Marie quickly passed the folder along. She knew she owed it to Remy to whatever she could to help bring the Institute to its knees. Even though Scott assured her that he was alive, she had her doubts.

                "Good work. I'll get these to Cece. I'm almost done with the files down below. Cece said Trish wants to run the story, but needs some more concrete information. We need to get Remy out before that."

                "And if we don't?"

                Scott sighed. "Then I don't know what they would do to him."

                Remy looked skeptically at Jono. The other teen was slumped against the wall, staring at him. He was trying not to look too curious, but Remy could tell he was dying to know what was going on. Too bad he couldn't talk.

                "You are Jono, right?" A single nod. "I'm Remy. What the fuck are they keeping you around for?"

                Jono rolled up his sleeve and showed Remy the needle marks that came from being used as a human test subject for the various projects the Institute was involved in. Then he patted his head and made an X with his fingers. Remy interpreted that to mean that Xavier was still trying to mess with his head.

                "You remember Marie? She said you were a good friend." Remy was watching him carefully. He was surprised that there was relief when Jono merely nodded. Good. No lost love or anything. "You have family?"

                The other boy nodded, then shrugged. Obviously not close.

                "Me too. I got a sister out there who probably wants to wring my neck for getting into this mess and then chain me to her wrist. I miss her a lot." He promised himself that he wouldn't dwell on Jeannie. He prayed that she was safe. His stomach twisted at the thought of what could have happened. "Is there a chance to get out? If we work together, maybe?"

                Jono tilted his head to the side and thought before shaking his head no. He pointed to the top of the room where the vents were. He waved his hands around in swirls, then laid his head on his hands and closed his eyes. They gassed them before opening the doors.

                Remy gazed up at the vents. They were high up, but maybe not too high. If only he had a screwdriver, a bobby pin, something that he could pry the cover off with. Well, all he had was time. He'd figure something out. The alternative was too horrible to contemplate.

                The butler wouldn't even let him in the door.

                "I'm sorry, sir, but the missus has not approved of this meeting. Please make an appointment with the secretary." Eric gnashed his teeth at the very polite refusal.

                "Gregory, who is that?" A very pretty young lady stepped into the hall. Her expression was carefully arranged to show only vague curiosity.

                "A mister Eric Lensherr, miss." Monet's eyes lit up as she recognized the name.

                "Please show him into the parlor. I will be back down in five minutes." She walked at a fast pace back to the top of the curved staircase. Once she was out of sight, she ran to Jean's room.

                "Your stepfather is here." She grinned at the girl. "Why don't you phone the police while I entertain him?"

                Jean nodded slowly. One less thing to worry about. Plus she could just imagine him in jail with hardened criminals. With M backing her claim, the police will barely even ask why they were carrying him away. Monet handed her the phone book and left once again.

                "I apologize for keeping you waiting, Mr. Lensherr. If you would please tell me what troubles you, I will do my best to assist you."

                Eric smiled warmly. Finally, he was getting the respect he deserved. "I'm looking for my daughter. The poor dear is out alone in the city. It would just kill me if anything happened to her…"

                Hank was ready. He had perfected his project. He wanted to go to the next step. He needed a test subject. 

                "Why can't we use one of the kids? I know Bobby would be willing to try it out," he said to Xavier, his voice tinged with frustration. 

                "We don't know what will happen. I certainly can't send Bobby back to his parents if the serum works. And it would be worse if it didn't."

                "Well what about one of the boys in 023? Nobody will care what happens to them!"

                Xavier rolled his eyes. "We can't even control them. Can you even imagine what would happen if they suddenly got all this power. They have reason to be…vexed with us."

                "Well, Xavier, we need a human subject. What do you propose we do?" Hank was practically bounced on his toes. He would take the serum himself if there were a way he could be sure to analyze the data correctly.

                "I'll think of something. Just make sure the report is ready to go." Xavier left the labs, intending to go to his study.

                Hank watched him leave thoughtfully. When it came to results, Xavier always said 'I'. The little project was Hank's baby. He had nursed it from an abstract idea to reality. There was no way Xavier was going to wrest the glory away from him! Hank tapped his fingers on the table. He just had to figure something out before Xavier did. He stared longingly at the serum on the desk. 

                Kitty shook her head at her roommate across the room. She hadn't seen Marie in days except as a lump under her blankets at night. Jean was gone again, though this time it looked as if her stepfather took her and Remy out of the school.

                "You do know that finals aren't for a month, right?" she said to break the silence. Marie was staring at her computer screen with intently.

                She jumped. "I know. I'm just doing some research for an outside project for Scott's class." She turned back to her work.

                Kitty sighed. "Why don't we do something? Play pool, go for a run, rent a movie?"

                "I'm kinda busy now."

                "Oh. Okay. Maybe later, then." She narrowed her eyes at Marie and planned on figuring out what she was really doing. Everyone knew that Marie hated math passionately. All she had to do was wait until Marie moved away from her computer. Then a little hacking, and Kitty would be able to pull up all of Marie's files.

                Scott smiled as he put all of his papers in order. Cece would be by to pick them up on a while. Her face broke into a big grin when he told her what was in them. Firm connections to Raven Darkholm and Warren Worthington would make big news. Things were getting a bit too stressful at the Institute. The students went along in their studies, oblivious to the growing tensions around them. Spring break was coming up soon, so pretty soon the building will be mostly empty. Scott remembered when he was younger. He used to love the vacations, not because it meant no more school, but because it meant that he would get to spend extra time with Xavier and the rest of the staff. What a fucking fool he had been!

--------------Twelve years ago--------------

                "What do you feel like having tonight, Scott?" Xavier asked, smiling widely at the young man seated across from him. They were alone in the huge dining room, a chessboard set up between them. Xavier had begun teaching Scott almost immediately when he was a little boy. Scott had picked the game amazingly fast. It was a weekly tradition to play right before dinner.

                "Honestly, sir, I want pizza." Scott bit the tip of his tongue as he concentrated on the board. A wide grin spread across his face as he captured Xavier's queen. He had never won, but he was getting closer. 

                "Pizza it is. I'll have Logan make the call. Do you feel up going through a few exercises tonight?" The question was casual, but Xavier stared intently on Scott. Scott didn't notice.

                "Sure." He liked the exercises because they were challenging. Xavier and Logan were so nice to go through them with him later. He filed away every bit of information. Xavier said you never knew when you would need your experience. Just last week, they went over personality traits. Scott promised to work on his stubbornness.

                "You're getting much better, my boy, but checkmate." Xavier kept his victorious grin well under wraps. It would do no good if the boy got frustrated. He never could lose on purpose, though. He didn't know how to lose. "I was thinking we could go over covert operations tonight."

                "Sounds good. Why do I need to learn all of this stuff anyway? It's not like I'm going to anything very interesting."

                "I know you have the ability in you. Why not harness it to the full potential? Plus, you never know what's going to happen. You may as well be prepared."

                Scott nodded thoughtfully. Why not indeed.

----------------------------

                _But are you prepared for me?_ Scott wondered. Everything seemed to be on schedule. The only thing he needed to figure out was how to get Remy out. He frowned. Xavier may have delivered every blow, but Scott intended on coming out on top. For once.

A/N: Does it seem that Eric is getting away too lightly? Should Kitty find out and help Scott or warn Xavier? Is Jean really going to stay in the house? The answer to these and any other questions (about the story) you have to come! Review please!


	13. And the walls come crumbling down

              "You can't put in on the air yet!" Cece insisted. She snatched the folder out of Trish's hand and glared at the women. "You promised that you'd wait until I told you it was okay. We had a deal!"

              "The network jumped on the story and they want to run it immediately. I don't have a choice. Either I do it, or they'll get someone who will," Trish said coolly. She was not used to being told what to do. She lost the fight at work; she'd be damn if she lost twice in the same day.

                "You don't understand. There's a young man's life in danger. You tell your network guys that. If he dies because you people were too impatient, your PR is going to shit because I will let everyone know that he died because of you!"

                Trish sighed. She already had the conversation at work. As far as she was concerned, the subject was closed. "I'll tell them, Cece, but if they tell me to do it, I'm going to do the story. I'm sorry." She gently pulled the folder out of Cece's hand, and then turned away.

                _This is why people don't like me. If it's between my job and my friends, the job always wins._ Trish slammed the door a little harder than usual, then headed back to work.

                Cece stared in shock at the door Trish stepped through before kicking into action. She punched in Scott's private number at school on her cell phone. She prayed that there was enough time.

                Scott glanced at the ringing phone, and tried to decide whether or not to answer it. The ringing went on for five minutes and was beginning to irritate him, so he picked it up. Cece's frantic voice at the other end made him very alert.

                "Please tell me that you got Remy out," she said desperately.

                "Not yet. I was going to check around the area this afternoon when Xavier was at lunch," Scott replied slowly. He forced himself to calm down as he prepared for the worst.

                "She's going to run the story this evening! I told her that she couldn't, but she is!" Cece practically wailed.

                "Get back here as quickly as you can. We need to go in now!" Scott laid his head in his hands. _When did life get so hard?_

                Xavier tried to smile at the older man in front of him. He was finding it quite a difficult task.

                "What a pleasant surprise, Dr. Essex. I can understand your concern for your investment, but rest assured that we are taking care of it and making you our top priority."

                Dr. Nathaniel Essex looked down at the man seated at the desk contemptuously. "You will understand if I am less than relieved at your assurances. I am here to check in on the boy and determine for myself how he is progressing. I wish to see him immediately."

                Xavier paused. To tell the doctor 'no' would severely hurt any future business with the man and his associates. On the other hand, Remy was nowhere close to being ready for a demonstration.

                "Dr. Essex, the boy has only recently lost his sister to a horrific accident, and his anguish has regressed his progress quite dramatically. We have him in containment right now, and I've been working with him for hours each day, but I fear he won't be ready for a demonstration for another month at least." Xavier could tell that his lie wasn't having the slightest effect on Essex.

                "Right now, Professor, I would settle for seeing that you actually have the boy in your custody. The last time we spoke, the boy was not even in this state." His voice never wavered from propriety, but his dark eyes flashed dangerously. Xavier swallowed nervously before standing.

                "That I can do. If you'll follow me, Dr. Essex." He led the man through the hidden entrance in his study to the labs. "I'll bring him out for you. Do you wish to question him?"

                "Yes. I would like to speak to him in private."

                "As you wish." Xavier worked the commands to open the doors. Scott watched carefully from the surveillance room. He watched every move and committed them to memory. Now all he had to do was wait. He really hated waiting.

                Monet tried not to flinch away as Eric leaned towards her. She had been listening to his sob story about his poor lost daughter who had supposedly spoke from a phone in her residence. She knew the true story, and she was waiting for her butler to give the signal. After days of doing nothing except baby-sit Jean, Monet was looking forward to doing something useful. Especially if it got a man like Eric off the streets, away from decent people.

                "Well, Eric, I can assure you that I know exactly where your daughter is," Monet said brightly. She watched the disgruntlement from her using his first name slide off of his face. He could hardly contain his excitement.

                "Where is she? Is she here?" He looked around furtively as if Jean would just happen to be passing through the open doorway.

                "Yes, Gregory, lead him into the parlor," M instructed her butler with a smile. Gregory looked smug as he led the police into the room.

                Eric looked confused. "I don't understand. Are you here to look for Jean? There is really no reason for your involvement. This young lady assures me that she knows where my stepdaughter is." And there was no way in hell he wanted them talking to Jean. No way to tell what lies she would spew forth.

                "Eric Lensherr, you are under arrest…" Eric stared in shock as the charges were read. He didn't even see Jean peek into the room and watch from the doorway with a sad smile on her face.

                He glared at Monet as he was led from the room in handcuffs. They would learn that they couldn't mess with Eric Lensherr and get away with it. He was beginning to wish he had paid his lawyer, though.

                Monet went to stand with Jean as they watched through the large windows as Eric was shoved into the back of the police car. He turned back and saw the girls watching him. His handsome face curved into a mask of hate that promised retribution. Jean shivered and turned away quickly.

                Remy was pacing once again. He was never one to be still, and he couldn't break the habit. Jono had stopped watching him. It made him dizzy.

                "I need t' get out of here. Even if it's only for a little while." He muttered under his breath. Xavier couldn't have planned a more perfect prison if he had tried. Jono shook his head. He had long ago accepted that he would live between these four walls – fighting every chance he got.

                "How long has it been?" That scared Remy more than anything else. There were no windows in the cell to judge the time of day. All they had were the electrical lights that turned on and off without warning. He lost count of how many times the lights went out. He didn't know how long Jean had fended for herself. How long he had been wasting away.

                Jono didn't bother answering. Instead he dragged himself to his feet and motioned for Remy to get into position. They stepped through sparring paces with as much ease as the small space allowed. When Remy had suggested it days earlier, Jono had scoffed at the very idea, but since then, he had begun to look forward to the exercise. If nothing else, it helped break the monotony of life. And kept Remy from pacing.

                "See, there he is," Xavier said, his voice straining from keeping it neutral. Dr. Essex smiled at the screen.

                "I see he still has fight in him. How long has he been there?" His eyes drank in every step Remy took.

                "A few days. It's that very fight that makes him so resilient against our methods. Still, I think there has been small progress." Xavier thought he told that lie very well.

                "I like the fight. Now that I've seen him, let us speak of other things. Tell me about the Legacy Virus." Xavier stared at the other man, mouth working furiously with no sound coming out. "Yes, I know about the little project. How close to its inception?"

                "We need to test it still," Xavier said faintly. _How did he know? Is he with the government?_

                "Hmm. Well, get the boy. I require five minutes alone with him." Essex looked pointedly from Xavier to the door.

                To his consternation, Xavier found himself rushing towards the cell to get Remy. He hoped that his plans weren't going down the drain in front of his eyes. In spite of everything, he refused to admit he was beaten.

                "Find anything interesting?" Marie asked, her arms crossed across her chest. She stared down at Kitty, who turned bright red at being caught.

                "Uh, not really, to be honest," Kitty mumbled, jumping away from Marie's desk. She kept her eyes away from the other girl's.

                "Hmm. I was poking around Xavier's computer. You ever been there?" Marie asked, ignoring the fact that she found Kitty snooping around her stuff. Thank God she was paranoid and took the time to wipe everything from her computer. The stack of hidden disks under a loose floorboard didn't hurt either.

                "A couple of times. What were you looking for?" Kitty was treading carefully. She knew that the Marie that she lived with would have wrestled her to the ground and beat her senseless. Or at least started yelling loud enough to be heard across the street. She must really have needed her help. However, Kitty knew not to push her luck.

                "Just some codes for the outer doors. You never know when they could come in handy." Kitty gave her a knowing look. "Show me."

                Kitty immediately took a seat in front of Marie's computer and put on her best instructor voice.

                Marie tried to pay attention, but in truth she found the computer stuff pretty dull. All she needed were the Master codes to override the existing programs, and Remy would be in her arms by nighttime. She blushed at such a girly thought and forced herself to focus.

                Something was going to happen. Jean shivered as she stared out at the bright, sunny day. Her precognition took her by surprise. She knew that she needed to go. She pulled herself out of the third story window and began to climb down the trellis along the wall. She never opened her eyes, and she was never more grateful to feel solid ground beneath her feet. She quickly slipped through the gate and began to run.

                Hank couldn't stand it any longer. He knew what he was going to do about the whole situation, and if Xavier didn't like it, well, that would be too bad. He suddenly left his chemistry class in the middle of his lecture, leaving the students to look around warily. He ran to the garage and jumped into the school's jeep. There were a few things he needed before he could follow through with his plans.

                Cece stared at the television, dreading what was going to be on the noon news. She was in her room, hoping against hope that Xavier would somehow miss the broadcast, that every single one of his contacts would miss it. She knew that was hoping for too much, so she simply closed the door and burrowed under her covers. Things couldn't get any worse, surely.

                Scott was staring at the lock on the containment cell. The thing was a masterpiece. He hoped that Marie was having more luck. He followed where the wirings must have followed through and found a small hole at the corner of the room.

                "Remy?" he whispered, hoping against hope that it actually did end up inside the containment cell.

                "'ello? Who's is it?" Remy voice caught.

                "It's Scott. Are you okay?"

                "Yeah. How's Jeannie?" Remy was standing on the beds to reach the corner. He began to bounce up and down in anticipation.

                "She's safe. She's with M."

                "Watch out for her. She's on her way back here."

                "How do you know that?" Scott looked around quickly to make sure there wasn't anybody in the room. He could have sworn he heard something by the door.

                "Jus' do. Get me the fuck out of here."

                "I'm trying. Hang in there for a little longer."

                There was silence and Scott figured that it would do for him to get caught talking to the wall. He ran back to his room and booted up his computer once again. He smiled as a flashing IM from Marie came on the screen.

                unTouchable1: I got them! Check yr email.

                Scott21896: excellent! I'm gonna go get R and take him somewhere safe. Be ready to leave.

                unTouchable1: k. be careful. Bye.

                Trish carefully arranged her hair so it hung just so down her back. She quivered with anger and seethed at her producer, who was glaring right back at her. She shuffled the papers in front of her and took a deep breath. The light came on, and an automatic smile appeared on her face. She took her cue and began.

                "How does one identify the effects of mind control? To many people, the very idea is fictitious, but our investigative team has uncovered proof that it exists and it is poisoning the minds of America's youth. Professor Charles Xavier of the Xavier Institute is the head of this appalling practice. He has his alum seek out the next generation of bright minds so he can take them and mold their minds to whatever he chooses. Then he proceeds to sell the children to the top bidder. Some of the agencies involved in this horrific act are within our very own government. The CIA and the FBI are among the Institutes top employers…" Trish ran through her story, putting her best effort forth. She held the nation transfixed and she reveled in the idea.

                "There are reports of a Legacy Virus being produced in the underground labs of the Institute. There is not a lot of information available, but as we understand, the Legacy Virus is the brainchild of Institute professor, Henry McCoy. The government commissioned a biological weapon from McCoy…" By the time Trish was done with them, the Institute would have no credibility. Xavier would be the most reviled man in history. It was all in a day's work. Trish smiled a little brighter. It always came back to the job.

                Remy stared back angrily at the man standing in front of him. He could feel that the man was studying him carefully, and it made him tense up.

                "Was your purpose at this school explained to you?" Essex asked, looking down at the glowering teen.

                Remy didn't answer. He realized that his time out of the cell would probably be longer if he cooperated, but there was something about the man that made his hackles rise. He met the piercing gaze quietly.

                Essex's mouth quirked into a queer sort of smile at his defiance. "Well, let me explain it to you then. After you 'graduated', you would have been sent to work for me. I have been following your progress since you were an apprentice in New Orleans. Have no doubt that you will be mine someday."

                Remy shivered despite himself. Like hell he would ever work for this man.

                "I will be back to collect you, Remy LeBeau. Do not make me wait too long." Essex swept grandly from the room.

                Jean stopped when she was across the street from the school. It had taken her the better part of an hour to get back to the Institute. Now all she had to do was find the courage to walk back inside. And do what? She cursed silently. Any second now and Xavier would drag her back inside and lock her up forever. She looked up to where her room had been and saw a familiar face. Hoping that Marie would look down at her, Jean just stood still and concentrated on the girl in the window. She knew she didn't come all the way across the bridge to get caught within five seconds of stepping on the campus.

                Marie nodded to her and her head disappeared in the window. Thank God for a little bit of luck (or fate as Remy would insist). Jean was willing to believe in anything if it got them safely away from this mess. _Don't we deserve a little break?_ she wondered to herself.  Marie slipped out the door and nonchalantly walked out of the gate.

                "What are you doing here? Scott said you were living somewhere far from here," Marie said, leading Jean around the corner and out of sight.

                "I needed to come back. I'm sick and tired of being helpless. I'm sick of everyone taking care of me. Plus, someone else is after my brother," Jean's face darkened. "Why can't people just leave us alone? We were fine on our own." _Well, mostly_, she amended to herself.

                "Now is not a good time for you to come back. Xavier stopped looking for you, but there's a story on the news about the school coming out. Scott is worried that if we don't get Remy out by the time the story comes out, then…" Marie trailed off.

                "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get him out! How hard can it be?"

                "We just got Xavier's passwords and Scott is working on it as we speak. He's going to be mad that you're here, by the way."

                Jean shrugged. "I think I'm supposed to go inside. Can you get me in?"

                Marie snorted. "Yeah, right. With all the cameras zooming around, I'm going to zap you inside with a snap of my fingers. But if you wanna come in, you can try it, I guess. You're going to do it anyway."

                Jean beamed at her. "Yes, but I'll feel better if you come with me."

                "She did what?!" Scott yelled into the phone. He felt a migraine coming on. A glance in the mirror showed a man who aged at least five years in the last month. Damn kids!

                "I'm assuming she's heading your way," M said coolly, hiding her worry like a seasoned pro. Hiding her feelings was second nature to her. "She was pretty quiet after the police took Eric away."

                "It's a shame he wasn't castrated or something," Scott muttered darkly. He kept glancing out the window. It didn't seem to matter that he knew his window didn't face the street.

                "I wouldn't lose hope of that. I've heard that they don't like men who rape little girls in prison. Eric will get what's coming to him. And if he doesn't, well it won't be the first time my father's had to convince prison guards to turn the other way." M paused. "Find her, Scott, and make sure they both get out of there or you will have to look over your shoulder until I get you!"

                Scott stared at the phone after he heard the other end slam down. _Well, fuck!_ he thought. He began to change plans as he jogged down the hall.

                Cece took the codes that Scott handed to her in the hall, and shoved them into her jeans. Her palms were sweaty and he heart was racing. But she kept going. After all, this was in large part her fault. Scott was going to keep Xavier busy on the upper level, providing Cece enough time to get Remy and take him outside to the rental car parked around the corner. She asked what happened if anyone else found her wandering the lower levels, but Scott told her not to worry. Easy for him to say.

                She took the elevator to the bottom and cautiously stepped out onto the hidden floor. So far so good. She checked the meticulous map that Scott provided her with and headed towards section 023.

                Hank nearly slammed the jeep into the garage wall. He pulled out his supplies and raced back down to the labs, ignoring the surprised yells he left in his wake. On his way to his testing area, he checked the cameras to make sure that no one would interfere with his plans. Xavier was with Bobby, Ororo was in the greenhouse, and Scott was probably in his room. Perfect. He called up his testing program and set it to receive data. Then his fingers began flying over the keys. All he needed were the boys now. Whistling, he headed towards the containment area.

                Marie and Jean crept in through the front door. And never even made it to the main staircase. It seemed that the media had jumped on the story immediately. And every single reporter in New York was crowded in the main entrance.

                Xavier was smiling pleasantly at the reporters, telling them that the story was preposterous. He caught sight of Jean, and he stopped short and just stared. Everyone turned to see what he was staring at, but Jean and Marie were running down the hall. He took a step as if to go after them, but found himself unable to move in any direction.

                "I'm sorry, what was your question?" His face darkened with anger, but he had to wait.

                Cece's fingers shook as she very deliberately punched in the characters on the alpha-numeric keypad. She could hear the noise above her head, and it made her even more nervous. She supposed that Xavier was pretty well out of the picture, but it was hard to concentrate.

                She traced her lower lip with her tongue as the last three numbers were dutifully punched in. The hiss of the air lock seemed loud and made her jump. The look on the boys' faces made her want to cry.

                "Cece?" Remy said hesitantly, his voice rough. He stepped cautiously towards her, unsure of her intentions.

                She quickly pulled him to her and held him tight. "Are you alright?" She put a hand to his forehead and looked into his eyes. "Come. Quickly."

                It was then that she became aware that Remy wasn't alone. Damn Scott! He could have at least mentioned there was another boy.

                "Isn't this a surprise?" Remy and Cece whirled towards the voice. Hank was standing with his arms crossed, a maniacal look plastered across his face. "When I heard the news on the radio, I knew that there wasn't any time. So I came down here as quickly as I could so I could test my little creation. After all, nobody knew the boys were still at the school." He frowned to himself. "At least nobody was supposed to know."

                Jean sighed in frustration. They changed everything since the last time she had been down there. It was taking forever to get in. She knew that time was passing much too quickly.

                "Hurry up, I think I hear voices getting closer!" Marie hissed. She was practically tugging on Jean's arm. 

                "Almost there." Jean stuck the tip of her tongue out the corner of her mouth as she concentrated on getting the door open without setting off the alarm. She sliced through the green wire and the red lights started flashing. "Shit!"

                The girls tore through the open door and ran for the cell where Remy and Jono were being held. Marie's head whipped around, trying to see everything without slowing down. She was amazed at what they held down here, unknown to everyone.

                "Do you think the Master codes would have gotten us through that door?" she wondered out loud. The look Jean shot back at her made her shut up really fast. Oops.

                The rounded the final corner and came to an abrupt halt. Circling the door were Cece, Hank, and the boys. None of them looked too happy.

                "Remy!"

                "Jeannie!"

                "Jono!"

                "Marie?" Remy looked back and forth between the girls.

                Jeannie threw herself at her brother and held him close. "If you _ever_ get captured again, I will kill you myself!" Her actions belied her words as she held his face and searched him carefully, looking for any wounds.

                He gently pushed her hands to her side and shoved her behind his back.

                "Hey!" Jean peered up at him, her brow furrowed into a frown. Then she followed her gaze to where Xavier was standing. "Oh." She quickly moved to stand besides Remy. Marie joined them on Remy's other side.

                "Well, it looks like we've got quite a party here," Xavier said quietly. He had barely escaped the circus on the upper floor and he came down to take care of his problem. It seemed things were worse than he had anticipated.

                Everyone was in motion at once. Xavier and Hank lunged towards Remy and Jono, Cece grabbed Jean, and Marie moved forward to intercept Xavier. Xavier grunted as Marie's body slammed into him. They rolled into the wall and struggled with one another. Jono moved out of the way quickly and ran for the doors. Jean ran the other way to help Marie. Hank and Cece both moved forward, neither paying attention to the other. That was when all hell broke loose.

                The vial that Hank still had clasped in his hands went sailing into the air as he and Cece bumped into each other. Cece didn't notice and kept moving towards Remy. Hank stopped short and stared as the vial seemed to move in slow motion through the air and arc over their heads, heading into the cell. 

                Scott was screaming into the phone to the executives of WGBT. He checked his watch for what was surely the thousandth time before hanging up the phone. He knew that it wouldn't do any good, but he couldn't stand the fact that they cared for nothing more than the almighty dollar. It was too quiet. Scott realized that the reporters were silent, and that meant that Xavier was no longer tied up. And there had been no sign of Cece and Remy. Or Jean. With a deep sigh, he took off at a run towards to the labs.

                Xavier shoved the two girls away from him and ran to the cell as quickly as he could. He slammed the door shut in Cece's face and lunged to the computer control panel on the far wall. 

                Scott skidded to a halt just as the door slammed shut. He quickly took stock of who was where. And his heart stopped as he saw what Xavier was going to do.

                "NO!!" He ran as fast as he could, but knew he was going to be too late. Xavier slammed his fist down on the final button. And took off full speed for the door.

                Scott didn't waste any time. He grabbed Marie and Jean by an arm and dragged them out of the labs. He shouted, "Keep moving! Head outside!" As he ran, he set off the fire alarm so that the rest of the students would evacuate.

                There was only two minutes to get everyone out and away from the building when the explosion occurred. Xavier was using a last ditch effort to get rid of all of the evidence. He was destroying the labs in the quickest, most efficient way possible by setting off explosions in every single room in the lower level. Including the containment cell.

                Everyone stared in shock as the building convulsed. Scott couldn't tear his eyes away from the door, praying that Remy and Cece would suddenly appear. There was no huge display of the roof blowing off the top. There was no big evidence to the devastation below the school. Nothing to show that two innocents caught up in the school's dark scheme were sacrificed. 

                Marie sank down to her knees as she watched the building rock back and forth, disbelief written across her face. Her mouth opened, but no words came out, her eyes squeezed shut, and tears streamed out. She cradled her head in her arms and rocked back and forth as grief racked through her body.

                Jono couldn't keep still. He was turning in circles, trying to look at as many things as possible. The bright sun burned his eyes, but he couldn't make himself care. The sky was as blue as he remembered, the wind felt just as cool. He heard none of the commotion around him because he strained to hear the sounds of life. The birds, the cars, the wind. It was all so beautiful.

                Kitty and Bobby watched solemnly as the noise crashed around them. Something big happened today, but they would never know completely. Kitty was hoping that her laptop would remain unscathed and Bobby hoped the cafeteria would be open as soon as possible. They shrugged their shoulders at each other.

                "It's probably an earthquake," Kitty said slowly.

                "In New York?" Bobby replied skeptically.

                "Well, what then?"

                Scott watched Jean worriedly. She stood as still as a statue, her gaze unblinking. Her brother, who he promised to get out safe and sound, was dead because he wasn't fast enough. Because he was blind. Scott's own heart hurt, his head filled with pain, with guilt. He couldn't watch, yet couldn't look away. Still, she didn't shed a tear, she didn't make a sound.

A/N: Well, all, that's _almost_ it. Depending on what kind of reviews I get, I have an epilogue planned that will look a little in the future. I'm holding it hostage until you tell me how you liked this story. Also, if there are any remaining questions, then I'll see if answering in the epilogue will work. But please review. I'd like the best and the worst of the story. A huge thanks to everyone who's been reviewing and reading!!!


	14. The End

A/N: Okay, so really more like ch 14 than an epilogue, but anyways here it is!

            Scott looked sideways at the young girl practically bouncing up and down in the passenger seat. She hadn't been this excited since, well, ever, as far as he knew. Ever since the first report arrived a week ago, Jean had been nearly humming with anticipation. He prayed that it was no hoax.

                Jean glanced at Scott. He had been there for her through the horror that followed that day. She knew that she could never explain to him the gratitude, the hope, the love in her heart for him. She knew that she would never have to.

                Remy. His name echoed in her mind. And all the feelings swamped over her.

He was barely able to keep still. It had been a long two months, but he it had been necessary for him to keep away. He was too dangerous.

                "Scott said that they'd be here at two," he said crossly to the woman sitting across from him at the neighborhood Starbucks.

                "Patience. He'll get her when he gets here." How she could be so calm, he'd never know. A faint buzzing in the back of his head alerted him to her presence. It had been there since before the incident. 

                "Jean."

--------------Two months ago---------------

                And the walls came crashing down. Jean watched in terror as the building seemed to just drop down before settling in its new position. She studied the doorways and the windows for any sign of movement. She kept watching for Remy to run out and take her away. But he didn't come. It was finally Scott who picked her up and carried her to the jeep. It was Scott laid her on the hotel bed and forced her to eat. 

                Jean lived from day to day away from reality. She couldn't make things make sense. She watched the building fall. She saw no evidence of survival. She couldn't shake the feeling – the knowledge – in the back of her head that Remy was alive. That he was coming back.

                The weeks started piling up with no sign. He would never let Jean believe he was dead, so it came to reason that he was. But Jean didn't believe. And she continued to watch the door. Until the letter arrived.

------------------------

                Scott watched a small smile play across her face and sighed deeply before he could stop himself. The worry that girl put him through… He couldn't believe how quickly she became his focus. He couldn't believe what he'd do to see her smile. He thanked the heavens and the stars that the letter had reached them before it was too late.

-------------One week ago------------

                He fingered the letter warily. It was simply marked _Jean_, with no address or stamp. The first thing that came to mind was that Xavier or Eric or Hank had found them. He was tempted to throw the thing away. He must have stood there staring at the thing for an hour.

                "Jean? This came for you, sweetie." His voice was pitched low and soothing. She hadn't spoken since _the incident_. He had tried everything.

                She tore her eyes away from the window to look at what he was offering her. In truth, he expected her to whip her head around again, ignoring him and the letter. She looked at him to the envelope, back and forth, before snatching it out of his hand.

                He stood bewildered as she tore into it. And laughed. She flashed him a smile so bright and threw herself at him, pulling him down on the bed. She was laughing and yelling like a madman. He couldn't have been happier. Scott started to laugh and yell as he hugged her tight. Whatever was in the letter could wait.

-----------------

                He was flipping a card over the back of his hand, between the fingers. Faster and faster as his impatience grew. Sunglasses were perched on his nose despite the overcast day. A long brown trench coat was wrapped around his shoulders despite the eighty-degree weather. 

                Jean dashed through the door, green eyes pinning him to his chair.

                "Remy!" She didn't stop running and if Remy didn't brace himself, they would have been sprawled across the floor.

                "Hi Jeannie. How've ya been?" He pulled her up, and then pulled her into a bear hug. 

All of his anxiousness melted away. Finally, he was complete again.

                She didn't say a word. Slowly she pulled away and ran a hand down the side of his face and slapped him as hard as she could.

                "Where the fuck have you been?! You let me think for two months that you were dead! You –you…" She angrily brushed the tears from her eyes.

                Remy rubbed his cheek and grabbed Jean by her arm. He led her to a couch and shoved her onto it. He was going to start yelling, but instead studied her carefully. She couldn't stop crying and he sighed as he held her close.

                "There's been some … problems that kept me away. Listen, Jeannie, you gotta know that I would never leave you if I didn't have to." He took the loud wail to mean yes. "Well, there's been some changes since everything exploded…"

----------------Two months ago-------------

                Cece and Remy clawed at the door to no avail. It was locked tight. The contents of the vial had splashed all over them when it bounced against the wall, but they couldn't be bothered with something so trivial. The danger didn't really hit them until the explosions went off. The loud boom echoed in the tiny room. They seemed to be getting closer every second. Looking at each other with new understanding, Cece and Remy huddled together in the corner of the room waiting for the end to come.

                It never did. As the explosion seemed to hit the small room, Cece had fallen on top of Remy, trying to shield his body. She couldn't have known how well it would work. As the walls caved in, the pieces that should have crushed them both bounced away harmlessly. The harder they fell, the farther the bounced. Cece and Remy looked at each other in fear and confusion, but didn't move until the shaking stopped. And they were able to stand unaided.

                "What just happened?" Cece asked shakily. "We should be dead."

                "Um, the pieces were just bouncing off of you, like you had some sort of shield or something. Why are you looking at me like that?" Remy said, studying the surroundings in shock.

                "Uh, your eyes are red."

                "Oh."

----------------------

                Jean stared at him in shock. Scott was leaning over the arm of the couch, his eyes huge with surprise. Remy sighed and pushed his sunglasses slightly down his nose.

                "Cool. What else can you do?" Jean said, smiling. So it was just a little bump in the road, nothing to worry about.

                "Blow things up." His gaze was no longer fixed on Jean. He was watching Scott warily. "I don't know how this 'virus' spreads, but Cece and I have stayed away from people for the last couple of months. As far as I know, you could catch it tomorrow because I breathed on you."

                Scott considered the words carefully. "I don't think that's how it works. If it was supposed to be a government weapon, they wouldn't have wanted the enemy exposed so easily."

                Remy nodded. "Well, now what?"

                "You're gonna come live with us, of course," Jean said, frowning at Remy. He seemed different. Too weary, too accepting.

                "What have you heard?" Scott seemed to understand a little better. 

                "Xavier hasn't been found yet. Ororo and Hank have undergone treatment. Parents across the country are in an uproar. President Kelly has lost backing. Eric's dead." Jean jumped. Remy merely squeezed her hand and kept going. "Logan is still MIA. There's a warrant on your head."

                "That's pretty good. Xavier has probably retreated to Australia to his private residence, but otherwise, I know nothing else."

                "Why don't you tell them?"

                Scott shrugged. "I still feel as if I … owe him." Remy nodded slowly. He didn't quite understand it, but matters of the heart were often confusing.

                Cece walked over to them and laid a hand on Jean's shoulder. Jean smiled brightly up at the woman and slowly turned around to face her.

                "You are coming back with us," Jean announced confidently. She avoided looking at her brother for her next announcement. "Marie has been moping since we left. It's driving me nuts."

                Scott shook his head. She had her nerve!

                Remy shook his head and turned to Scott. "She's been impossible, huh?" 

                "Yup. She wouldn't even speak to me. You should have seen the things I did for a smile."

                "My Jeannie has always been special. You ready to go home?"

                Jean beamed at her brother despite the uncomplimentary comments.

                "Let's go."

*Okay, so I copped out and let them live. But I _like_ Remy alive! This is the final installment. Thanks for reading!!!!! And Reviewing!!!!!


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